Parties That Cooks March Cookbook Club Recap: Spring Menus

Last week brought our much anticipated March Cookbook Club. This month we elected to select our recipes from Parties That Cooks very own Spring Menus. Theres no better way to test recipes and sneak a peek at the next seasons appetizers, side dishes and entrees! Lets dive on in, shall we?

Fava Bean and Sweet Pea Puree Roxanne started us off with a tasty dip and beautiful tray of fresh veggies. She substituted Shelled Edamame, and it worked beautifully! I loved this healthy start to our feast.

Dino Kale Caesar Salad with Marinated Avocado and Asiago Tostado Rebecca continued our healthy kick with a Mexican twist on a classic salad. Everyone loved the fresh dressing with garlic, lime juice and olive oil. Rebecca loved how easy it was to make. Shredded Asiago crisps were the star of this dish melting and toasting beautifully (and quickly!) in the oven. Pro tip: Kale can be pretty dense if packed into a bowl, so make sure to fully toss the greens in the dressing before adding more. Nobody likes a soggy salad!

Apricot and Pine Nut Dolmas Laura staked her claim on this recipe early on. I dont even know how to describe just how refreshingthese are. Upon first bite, Im transported to a rocking chair on a shady porch somewhere in the South (the only place with truly scorching days, right?). Yep, that about sums it up. In true dolma fashion, the grape leaves made the perfect vessel for the rice, pine nuts and bits of apricot.

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Jicama and Grapefruit Slaw Kelle brought in gorgeous spring rolls packed with flavor. *Photo does not do justice! Even though Kelle held back on the citrus, the slaw was borderline addictive. We had a great time figuring out how to maximize the extra juices: Dip vs. drizzle vs. waterfall. Verdict: To each her own, just pass me another spring roll.

Spicy Minced Thai Chicken with Basil - Of course it would be Beth who chose the dish with spicy in the title. She is the queen of heat, among other things. Thankfully, Beth held back on the spice for the weaklings in the group (*cough* ME *cough*). I thought they were still pretty spicy, despite Beths inability to detect any heat. Pro tip: The thick purple cabbage holds up incredibly well against the weight of the minced chicken not to mention makes for a beautifully colorful dish.

Indian Spiced Chicken Sliders with Cucumber and Mint Raita Crissy opted for this surprisingly easy dish. Slider patties are quickly seared before being popped in the oven to cook. Whala! Pro tip: Dont skip the searing, as it really helps the patties hold their form when finished. Despite using the cutest mini buns for this recipe, the bread was still a bit overwhelming. Luckily, a quick brainstorming session allowed us to find the perfect solution (smaller buns, obvs.). Im predicting these guys will be extra popular this spring.

Bonus Dish! Tanya made Sweet PeaCannellonifor us, even though the recipe is still under construction. We all loved the flavor, but found the dish a bit on the hearty side. Tanya scribbled a few notes, and it was back to the test kitchen for this cheesy side dish. (Mmmm, cheese.) Until we meet again, my pretty.

Parties That Cooks Easter Detox Recipe: Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls

So youre about to go a little overboard on Easter candy. Dont lie. Its probably best if you accept the inevitable: hitting every major grocery store within an 8 mile radius from your house the day after Easter so you can pounce on those precious candy sales. (Not that I know from experience.) Peeps, Cadbury eggs, chocolate bunnies and jelly beans will each play a role in your epic sugar crash. Prepare yourself with these super healthy, super delicious Vietnamese Spring Rolls! Consider these bundles of fresh veggies your personal Easter detox regime. Jicama and grapefruit cometogetherto create a much more exciting meal than any grapefruit diet. (This I know from experience.)

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Jicama and Grapefruit Slaw
This recipe can also be found in our Appetizer Recipe Library!

Ingredients
Fried Shallots (makes about 1 cup):
5 shallot cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup canola oil (may need more)
Mandolin

Nuoc Cham Dipping Sauce:
1 Tablespoon Sri Racha sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons fish sauce (substitute with soy or tamari sauce for vegetarian/GF option)
2 Tablespoons shallot oil (see above) can substitute plain canola oil

Filling:
5oz uncooked rice vermicelli
1/2 head of red cabbage, thinly sliced, about 4 cups
2 large carrots, grated, about 2 cups
1/2 small jicama, grated, about 2 cups
1/2 cup scallions, chiffonade
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chiffonade
1/2 cup of Thai basil or regular basil leaves, chiffonade
1/2 cup mint leaves, chiffonade
3 large ruby grapefruit, peeled, membranes and seeds removed
5 small pieces of butter lettuce, ribs removed and torn into 23 inch pieces
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts, toasted and chopped
20 round 6-inch Vietnamese rice paper (bring extra in case of breakage)

Methods/Steps
Fry Shallots: Peel the shallots. Using a mandolin, slice the shallots into paper-thin slices. Add canola oil to a medium saut pan set over medium high heat. The oil should be about 1 deep. When the oil is shimmering, add the sliced shallots. Using a slotted spoon or strainer, stir continuously to ensure the shallots brown evenly but dont burn. Once they are uniformly light brown, remove immediately. Drain on paper towels. The limp shreds will eventually crisp up. Save the cooking oil.

Make Sauce: In a small bowl, mix all dressing ingredients together. Set aside.

Prepare Noodles: Cover the rice noodles in boiling water and let steep until soft, about 2 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Drain well and toss noodles with 2 Tablespoons of Nuoc Cham. Set aside.

Make Slaw: Using a food processor or mandolin, shred the cabbage. Peel and grate the jicama and carrots on a box grater. Place all of the veggies into a large bowl. Chiffonade the scallions and herbs and add to the bowl of veggies.

Segment Grapefruit: Remove the skin of the grapefruit with a knife be sure to remove all skin and pith. Cut into the peeled grapefruit to remove the segments from the membrane. Pick out the seeds and add the grapefruit into the bowl of slaw. Pro Tip: add the juice to the dipping sauce for extra flavor. Add 3 Tablespoons of the Nuoc Cham to the slaw and mix well to combine.

Finish Filling: Remove ribs from butter lettuce and tear into 2 x 3 inch pieces each, set aside. Toast and chop the peanuts.

Prepare to Assemble Spring Rolls: Set out all of the ingredients in a line as follows: Rice paper, lettuce, noodles, peanuts, shallots and slaw. Line a baking sheet with a lint free damp towel (or paper towel) and have another damp towel ready to cover the rolls. Fill a large saut pan with 2 inches of hot water and place near rice paper.

Assemble: Working with one sheet of rice paper at a time, dip the disc into the hot water. Let it sit for about 5 seconds. Remove it and spread out flat on a cutting board. Lay a leaf of lettuce over the bottom third of the rice paper. The following ingredients should all fit onto this little piece of lettuce. Lay a thin layer of rice noodles on top of the lettuce. Top with a sprinkling of peanuts and shallots. Lastly, place a tablespoon of the slaw on top. Fold the left and right side over the filling. Holding the sides in place, fold the bottom flap up and roll the roll up into a tight cylinder. Lay the rolls flap side down on the moistened towel and cover with another moist towel until ready to serve (or cover tightly with Saran wrap). Patch any broken areas with small pieces of soaked, rice paper. Repeat, replacing the water as needed with hotter tap water.

Serve: Place rolls onto a platter with the dipping sauce.

Serves/Makes
Makes 20-24 Rolls

Recipe adapted by Parties That Cook www.PartiesThatCook.com from Chef Linda Tay Esposito.

Indulge in Parties That Cooks Forbidden Recipe: Forbidden Rice Pudding with Mango

Eating candy for dinner. Jumping on the bed. Dating that guy with all those tattoos and a motorcycle. There were plenty of things we were forbidden from doing growing up. Now that were all adults here, we can finally start indulging in a few forbidden fruits. Take this delectable dessert, for example. Fresh from our Spring Menus, were bringing you a dessert thats just the right amount of wrong. Im talking a vegan, gluten free, just-sweet-enough, Forbidden Rice Pudding.

We had the privledge of sampling this recipe at a recent Cookbook Club, and let my tell you: YUM. It had me feeling like I had escaped the office for a tropical Spring Break vacation.

Forbidden Rice Pudding with Mango and Toasted Sesame Praline
This recipe can be found in our Dessert Recipe Library

Ingredients
Rice Pudding:
1 1/2 cups black sticky rice, rinsed
2 1/4 cups water
2 1/2 cups canned or fresh coconut milk
1/2 cup palm sugar, or substitute brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Praline and Mango Topping:
Nonstick spray (or a silicon mat works great)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
Pinch of cream of tartar
3/4 cup white sesame seeds
1 ripe mango, sliced
Mint sprigs for garnish (if desired)

Methods/Steps
Make Rice: Place the rice and water in a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let the rice boil vigorously for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. After 10 minutes, cover, turn heat to low, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender but still al dente.

Heat Coconut Milk: Place the coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, salt and lime zest and stir until sugar is completely dissolved and milk is hot. Increase heat and boil milk until reduce by half. Divide the reduced milk into two, half to finish the rice and half to be used as a sauce.

Add Milk to Rice: When the rice has cooked, pour half of the reduced milk into the rice pot. Stir rice pudding and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off flame and set aside until ready to serve.

Make Caramel: Spray a sheet pan and an offset spatula with nonstick spray or line pan with a silicon mat. Set aside. Combine sugar, water and cream of tartar in a saucepan. DO NOT STIR. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar starts to just turn light gold. At this point, with a heat proof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently mix in the sesame seeds. Cook the mixture just until the sesame seeds start to toast. Immediately turn mixture out onto the prepared pan. Quickly spread mixture out as thinly as possible using the oiled offset spatula. Let praline cool completely. Once cool, break the praline into large shards for plated desserts or small shards if you are making mini desserts.

Prepare Mangoes: Peel the mangoes. Slice the mango flesh off the pit as cleanly as possible. Lay each mango half flat and slice crosswise, then, cut the slices into small dice.

Assemble: Divide the pudding between the serving vessels. Pro Tip: This dessert looks awesome in wine glasses or old fashion glasses! Drizzle the tops of the rice with the coconut milk sauce. Evenly divide the mango on top and garnish with a shard of the sesame praline and sprig of mint (optional). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves/Makes
Serves 12

Recipe adapted by Parties That Cook www.PartiesThatCook.com from Hot Sour Salty Sweet, 2000.

Indulge in Parties That Cook Forbidden Recipe: Forbidden Rice Pudding with Mango

Eating candy for dinner. Jumping on the bed. Dating that guy with all those tattoos and a motorcycle. There were plenty of things we were forbidden from doing growing up. Now that were all adults here, we can finally start indulging in a few forbidden fruits. Take this delectable dessert, for example. Fresh from our Spring Menus, were bringing you a dessert thats just the right amount of wrong. Im talking a vegan, gluten free, just-sweet-enough, Forbidden Rice Pudding.

We had the privledge of sampling this recipe at a recent Cookbook Club, and let my tell you: YUM. It had me feeling like I had escaped the office for a tropical Spring Break vacation.

Forbidden Rice Pudding with Mango and Toasted Sesame Praline
This recipe can be found in our Dessert Recipe Library

Ingredients
Rice Pudding:
1 1/2 cups black sticky rice, rinsed
2 1/4 cups water
2 1/2 cups canned or fresh coconut milk
1/2 cup palm sugar, or substitute brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon lime zest

Praline and Mango Topping:
Nonstick spray (or a silicon mat works great)
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup water
Pinch of cream of tartar
3/4 cup white sesame seeds
1 ripe mango, sliced
Mint sprigs for garnish (if desired)

Methods/Steps
Make Rice: Place the rice and water in a heavy pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling, let the rice boil vigorously for 10 minutes, stirring frequently. After 10 minutes, cover, turn heat to low, and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until tender but still al dente.

Heat Coconut Milk: Place the coconut milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the sugar, salt and lime zest and stir until sugar is completely dissolved and milk is hot. Increase heat and boil milk until reduce by half. Divide the reduced milk into two, half to finish the rice and half to be used as a sauce.

Add Milk to Rice: When the rice has cooked, pour half of the reduced milk into the rice pot. Stir rice pudding and simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed. Turn off flame and set aside until ready to serve.

Make Caramel: Spray a sheet pan and an offset spatula with nonstick spray or line pan with a silicon mat. Set aside. Combine sugar, water and cream of tartar in a saucepan. DO NOT STIR. Bring to a boil and cook until the sugar starts to just turn light gold. At this point, with a heat proof rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently mix in the sesame seeds. Cook the mixture just until the sesame seeds start to toast. Immediately turn mixture out onto the prepared pan. Quickly spread mixture out as thinly as possible using the oiled offset spatula. Let praline cool completely. Once cool, break the praline into large shards for plated desserts or small shards if you are making mini desserts.

Prepare Mangoes: Peel the mangoes. Slice the mango flesh off the pit as cleanly as possible. Lay each mango half flat and slice crosswise, then, cut the slices into small dice.

Assemble: Divide the pudding between the serving vessels. Pro Tip: This dessert looks awesome in wine glasses or old fashion glasses! Drizzle the tops of the rice with the coconut milk sauce. Evenly divide the mango on top and garnish with a shard of the sesame praline and sprig of mint (optional). Serve warm or at room temperature.

Serves/Makes
Serves 12

Recipe adapted by Parties That Cook www.PartiesThatCook.com from Hot Sour Salty Sweet, 2000.