Tag Archives: plate

Spring Is In The Air

March 29, 2010
14
Spring has arrived and the land is filled with wonderful colors of the new season.  Cherry trees are filled with gorgeous pink blooms, the grass grows greener by the day, and clusters of bright yellow daffodils spread their sunny cheer  to all.  On the Spring menu, light flavorful fare rules.  When I want a dish that truly captures everything that Spring has to offer, the choice is obvious, “Spring Rolls”.  Sweet Potato Spring Rolls with Thai Peanut Suce to be precise.   These delightful rolls are so scrumptious that your mouth will be watering by the time you finish reading the recipe.  I really love the the vibrant shades of bright orange and green in this dish.  What could be better for Spring?
There are quite a few ingredients in this recipe, but don’t let that dissuade you from giving it a try.  You will be surpised by how easily it all comes together.
Marinade:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sesame oil
1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger root

Rolls:
8 ounces pork loin, cut into 2×1/4-inch strips
14 small shrimp, peeled, deveined, and rinsed
2 cups peeled, grated sweet potatoes
8 ounces cellophane noodles
2 cups hot water
1/4 cup cider vinegar
14 rice paper sheets
1 1/2 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms
1 cup shredded Napa cabbage
14 fresh cilantro leaves, rinsed and patted dry with paper towel

Peanut Sauce:
1/2 cup Hoisin sauce
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons light soy sauce
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons minced garlic
2 tablespoons minced ginger root
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce

Rolls:

Whisk together soy sauce, brown sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, cornstarch, garlic, and ginger root in a bowl. Add pork to mixture and marinate 15 minutes at room temperature. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add pork with marinade; sauté until pork is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Set pork mixture aside to cool.

Blanch shrimp by plunging them into salted boiling water until cooked through, 1–2 minutes. Drain shrimp and let cool. When shrimp are cool enough to handle, cut each in half lengthwise. Blanch sweet potatoes in a fresh batch of salted boiling water until cooked through, about 2 minutes. Rinse sweet potato with cold water, drain, then spread on paper-towel-lined plate to dry.

Place noodles in a bowl; cover with boiling water for 15 minutes, then drain well. Use kitchen shears to cut noodles into short pieces. Combine hot water and vinegar in a large bowl.

Soak one rice sheet until softened, about 1 minute. (Keep remaining rice sheets in their package so they don’t curl). Place softened sheet on damp towel.

To assemble roll, arrange pork, sweet potatoes, noodles, mushrooms, and cabbage on bottom edge of softened rice sheet. Pull edge of sheet over filling and tuck edge under as you roll. Keep it tight and watch so filling doesn’t push out ends of roll. Try to maintain a 1-inch margin on sides. Roll up rice sheet halfway. Arrange 2 shrimp halves, with cut side facing up, and 1 cilantro leaf on rice sheet. Leave a 1-inch margin on each side. [Photo 3] Fold sides of rice paper inward; finish rolling. Place completed roll seam-side-down on tray that has been lined with damp paper towels. Cover with damp towel. Prepare remaining rolls.  Serve with Thai Peanut Sauce. (See Below)

Thai Peanut Sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer sauce for 2 minutes. Remove sauce from heat and cool to room temperature. Serve cool or keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Makes: 14 rolls

Plating your masterpiece

March 18, 2010
10

Wow, I am really excited about the number of readers that have expressed interest in our Sweet Potato Recipe Blogger Contest. Of course, the actual recipe is the most important part, but a great picture can make your fantastic Sweet Potato creations as eye-catching as they are mouth-watering. 

One of the most important steps to creating a great picture is proper plating. Here are a few guidelines used by professional chefs and photographers.  These awesome tips will help you show off your food for blogs, photos, parties, and friends.  A great looking plate always make a good first impression.

Basic Techniques

  • Think of your plate as a foundation or support to show off your creation.  A strong support should serve to accent your dish and never distract from it. It is for this reason that many chefs only work with white plates.  Regardless of your plate color you should leave plenty of “white space” in your picture.  Areas where your plate shows through emphasize the contrast of your dish’s color and texture. Notice the plate above. It is full, but appears uncluttered because of the white space that is shown.
  • As a general rule, avoid heavily patterned plates. While these plates can be beautiful, they can also distract from your dish. In Japan, chefs say that diners “Eat with their eyes first.” Every thing on your plate should be placed to attract your eyes to the main dish. Remember, your plate is the support, not the attraction.
  • Make sure your plate is complete. Don’t overuse white space, there is such a thing as “too much of a good thing”.  Leave your plates uncluttered, but don’t leave them empty.  Sometimes a wisp of lettuce or a delicate flower can complete a presentation that otherwise looks a little bare. See the garnishing rules below for more inspiration.
  • Remember to emphasize the color and texture of the Sweet Potato.  Our wonderful spuds are famous for there brightly colored flesh, so be sure to show that off.  In fact, brightly orange colors of the Sweet Potato can easily overcome the “white plates looks best” rule.  Dark colors, contrasting greens, even blues will make your pictures stand out. Just remember to use the same rules regarding clutter and eye appeal. Just look at the wonderful contrast in the Herb Roasted Vegetable Plate below.

Garnishes
  • Be sure to add garnishes to your plate.  They add texture, depth and even whimsy to your picture. A simply sprig of parsley can add that little je ne sais quoi, that make a plate really pop.  Try delicate swirls of rich red sauce, bright green asparagus, the brilliant pop of saffron rice. The garnish serves to balance the plate, so add a lime wedge, a colorful radish flower or try your hand at on of these advanced garnishes. My favorite … the Sweet Potato Butterfly.  Bon Apetit!