The green partyThis is the season when a cook's thoughts turn to entertaining. Right now, there is no end of excuses to feed friends and family, whether for Mother's Day or graduation day or simply to share all the green freshness you've overindulged in at the market.
Spring rolls with crab and herbs
Total time: About 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Note: Vietnamese fish sauce and garlic-chile paste are available at Asian markets.
Ingredients
1 pound crab meat
2 Tbsps. chopped mint
3 Tbsps. chopped cilantro
3 Tbsps. chopped chives
About 2 Tbsps. mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 spring roll wrappers, 8 inches square
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup Vietnamese fish sauce
3 Tbsps. plus 1 tsp. sugar
3 ramps, washed, trimmed and finely chopped
1 to 2 tsps. Vietnamese garlic-chile paste
Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
16 Bibb lettuce leaves
1 small bunch cilantro
1 small bunch fresh mint, leaves removed
1. Pick over the crab to remove any shell or cartilage. Place the crab in a bowl and add the chopped mint, cilantro, chives and enough mayonnaise to make the mixture cling together. Mix well. Season with one-fourth tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper, or to taste.
2. Lay 1 spring roll wrapper out on a work surface, with one corner facing you. Spoon 2 heaping Tbsps. of crab in a crosswise strip about 2 1/2 inches from the bottom corner. Roll the spring roll up like a burrito: fold over the sides to cover the filling, and roll up from the bottom. Brush the last corner with egg wash, and continue rolling the spring roll, sealing the last corner. (The rolls can be made to this point and refrigerated, tightly covered.)
3. For the dipping sauce, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, ramps and chile paste to taste in a bowl and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
4. Pour peanut oil to a depth of about 2 inches into a wok or skillet and heat to 365 degrees. Working in batches, fry the spring rolls until crisp and evenly browned, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
5. Serve the spring rolls with lettuce leaves and herb sprigs to wrap around them before dipping in the sauce.
Each serving: 252 calories; 13 grams protein; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 18 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 110 mg. cholesterol; 918 mg. sodium.
Spring chicken with ramps on a bed of watercress
Total time: 40 minutes plus 2 hours of marination
Servings: 8
Ingredients
8 poussins, about 1 pound each
8 ramps, trimmed and finely chopped
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. coarse-grain mustard
2 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large bunches watercress, tough stems removed, leaves washed and dried well
1. Use poultry shears or a sharp knife to remove the backbone and wing tips from each poussin at least two hours before cooking. Flatten the birds until they lie completely flat. Using the tips of your fingers, carefully lift the skin away from the flesh on each breast and the legs to make a small pocket. Divide the chopped ramps among the pockets. Season both sides of each bird with one-half tsp. salt and one-fourth tsp. pepper, or to taste. Lay on baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours to dry the skin slightly.
2. Remove poussins from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the broiler or grill.
3. Lay the birds skin side up on an oiled broiler pan as far as possible -- approximately 6 inches from the heat source. If the broiler will not fit all the poussins at once, work in batches; they can be served hot or at room temperature. Cook 12 to 15 minutes until dark brown, then flip over and continue cooking until the legs can be easily moved, about 10 minutes longer. Watch carefully during cooking to make sure the birds do not burn. Remove from the broiler and let stand 5 minutes.
4. While the birds cook, combine the lime juice and mustard in a salad bowl and whisk to blend. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Toss the watercress in the bowl with the dressing and divide among 8 plates. Top each with a poussin and serve.
Each serving: 560 calories; 61 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 33 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 238 mg. cholesterol; 1,367 mg. sodium.
Total time: About 45 minutes
Servings: 8
Note: Vietnamese fish sauce and garlic-chile paste are available at Asian markets.
Ingredients
1 pound crab meat
2 Tbsps. chopped mint
3 Tbsps. chopped cilantro
3 Tbsps. chopped chives
About 2 Tbsps. mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
16 spring roll wrappers, 8 inches square
2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup Vietnamese fish sauce
3 Tbsps. plus 1 tsp. sugar
3 ramps, washed, trimmed and finely chopped
1 to 2 tsps. Vietnamese garlic-chile paste
Peanut or vegetable oil for frying
16 Bibb lettuce leaves
1 small bunch cilantro
1 small bunch fresh mint, leaves removed
1. Pick over the crab to remove any shell or cartilage. Place the crab in a bowl and add the chopped mint, cilantro, chives and enough mayonnaise to make the mixture cling together. Mix well. Season with one-fourth tsp. salt and a pinch of pepper, or to taste.
2. Lay 1 spring roll wrapper out on a work surface, with one corner facing you. Spoon 2 heaping Tbsps. of crab in a crosswise strip about 2 1/2 inches from the bottom corner. Roll the spring roll up like a burrito: fold over the sides to cover the filling, and roll up from the bottom. Brush the last corner with egg wash, and continue rolling the spring roll, sealing the last corner. (The rolls can be made to this point and refrigerated, tightly covered.)
3. For the dipping sauce, combine the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar, ramps and chile paste to taste in a bowl and whisk to dissolve the sugar. Set aside.
4. Pour peanut oil to a depth of about 2 inches into a wok or skillet and heat to 365 degrees. Working in batches, fry the spring rolls until crisp and evenly browned, about 2 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
5. Serve the spring rolls with lettuce leaves and herb sprigs to wrap around them before dipping in the sauce.
Each serving: 252 calories; 13 grams protein; 9 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 18 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 110 mg. cholesterol; 918 mg. sodium.
Spring chicken with ramps on a bed of watercress
Total time: 40 minutes plus 2 hours of marination
Servings: 8
Ingredients
8 poussins, about 1 pound each
8 ramps, trimmed and finely chopped
Coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. coarse-grain mustard
2 Tbsps. extra-virgin olive oil
2 large bunches watercress, tough stems removed, leaves washed and dried well
1. Use poultry shears or a sharp knife to remove the backbone and wing tips from each poussin at least two hours before cooking. Flatten the birds until they lie completely flat. Using the tips of your fingers, carefully lift the skin away from the flesh on each breast and the legs to make a small pocket. Divide the chopped ramps among the pockets. Season both sides of each bird with one-half tsp. salt and one-fourth tsp. pepper, or to taste. Lay on baking sheets and place in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 hours to dry the skin slightly.
2. Remove poussins from refrigerator 30 minutes before cooking. Heat the broiler or grill.
3. Lay the birds skin side up on an oiled broiler pan as far as possible -- approximately 6 inches from the heat source. If the broiler will not fit all the poussins at once, work in batches; they can be served hot or at room temperature. Cook 12 to 15 minutes until dark brown, then flip over and continue cooking until the legs can be easily moved, about 10 minutes longer. Watch carefully during cooking to make sure the birds do not burn. Remove from the broiler and let stand 5 minutes.
4. While the birds cook, combine the lime juice and mustard in a salad bowl and whisk to blend. Whisk in the olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Toss the watercress in the bowl with the dressing and divide among 8 plates. Top each with a poussin and serve.
Each serving: 560 calories; 61 grams protein; 2 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram fiber; 33 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 238 mg. cholesterol; 1,367 mg. sodium.