Vietnamese Spring Rolls

I made these for a June shabbat when we were all together in Chestertown when Noa was a wee one. Big hit, and Zach asked for them a few weeks later. I happily obliged.

Once you assemble all the ingredients, which is a bit of a scavenger hunt, these are fun to roll. They make a delicious and beautiful presentation. This is based on https://cookieandkate.com/fresh-spring-rolls-recipe/ , this guy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pUO2PuGu9DQ&ab_channel=AGlobalKitchen, and https://natashaskitchen.com/fresh-spring-rolls/ but watch a few videos to get different ideas of the basic techniques.

You'll need about a 12-16 rice paper wrappers, found in the Asian section of big supermarkets. The sauces keep, so you don't have to make the whole package. 

Cook the rice noodles -  just submerge them in boiling water for a few minutes, and drain. While they are cooling, prep your fillings. You can lay them in piles on a tray.

• Herb leaves: basil, mint, or other herbs of choice. Be generous.
• lettuce leaves. I found mini-romaine, which was perfect. Spinach would be good.
• grated carrot, either a bag, or use a cool tool. I actually have one, called a julienne peeler. You can also just slice thin.
• purple cabbage, sliced very thin
• English cucumber, seeded and sliced thin
• avocado, sliced thin, if you have a ripe one
• thin sliced daikon or red radish
• slivered jalapeno if you like more heat
• rice vermicelli or plain rice
• strips of spiced tofu are a good addition to amp up the protein.

We liked having two dipping sauces. Be sure to put dips out in a few smaller bowls.

Peanut Hoisin Sauce:

In a big jar, add

100g or 1/3c hoisin sauce (vegetarian)

30g -  2 T peanut butter

3-5g/1 small clove grated garlic 

3-5g about1/2 T grated ginger

30g or 2 T rice vinegar

5g or 1 t sesame oil

30g or 2 T water

Whisk to combine.

Traditional Fish Sauce from Natasha.

• 1/3 cup water
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1/4 cup sugar, or to taste
• 2 Tbsp lime juice
• 2 tsp rice wine vinegar
• 1 to 2 tsp chili garlic sauce
• 1 garlic clove, grated or minced
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp shredded carrot

Combine all ingredients in a small bowl. For serving, pour into a few smaller bowls. This makes a lot.

Assembling:

Rice Paper needs just a quick dip in a curved plate of water. Then move it to a tray, and add the rice noodles and the other ingredients. Try to get some of the pretty herb leaves on what will be the bottom so when you roll each one, you can see them. Best to watch a video.

Do not stack them. They stick to each other! You can leave them at room temperature for an hour or two.

 Figure on folks eating 2 or 3, or even 4, depending on what else you are serving.

Naomi Klayman's Layered Fruit Salad

I often suggest to people, when they ask what to bring to a meal, to bring fruit salad. It's a lot of work to make!

Naomi brought this, and it was ingenious. The colors and contrast obviously make it beautiful, but the stripes are extra pretty.

She came up with the technique of holding the bowl horizontally, and layering it that way.

If you use a flat or slightly curved bowl/platter, you can do it directly. But her technique is a lot of fun.

I like "pretty food". This presentation qualifies! 

Ricette Fresche's Potato Spinach Cheese Omelette

Stuffed Potato Cheese Thing!

For vegetarian meals, I miss the dinner entrée being a focal point. This one is beautiful. It requires many steps, but not hard ones, and is an elegant presentation. I haven't come up with the right word in English. Ricette Fresche is an Italian YouTube channel; she calls it an omelet, along the lines of a Spanish Tortilla, also made in a fry pan on the stovetop. This one doesn't have onions, but you could add them. It's pretty flexible.

She doesn't have a website with the recipes, so you need to watch her videos and follow the steps. Not very efficient, so I've narrated the process here.

2+ pounds potatoes (a kilo, basically)
1 lb fresh, washed spinach

fried onions (optional) - to be layered in with the spinach, or caramelized and added on top
clove garlic
2 eggs
1 oz parmesan, grated
4 oz grated hard cheese (I used Gouda, but can be most any kind.)
* ~1 c breadcrumbs (can be less, it's to taste - stale challah is good!) Note that you spread the  breadcrumbs at three different times, so don't put it all in the mixture at the first step
olive oil
salt, pepper, nutmeg

hot sauce for eating

Boil the potatoes very thoroughly. When they're cool, hand peel them - the peels slip off.

Meanwhile, chop the spinach. Add oil to a large frying pan, and add the spinach and garlic, stirring until it wilts. Remove the garlic and put it in a strainer and push out the excess liquid.

In a large bowl, mash the boiled potatoes. Add two eggs, pepper, salt, and nutmeg. Stir, add parmesan and and about half the breadcrumbs.

In the large fry pan that the spinach was in, place a parchment paper disk, spread it with olive oil, and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Spread half the potato mixture on it, using your hands to smooth it down. Layer the spinach on top, with the grated cheese [and fried onions]. Spread the second half of the potato mixture, evening with wet hands. Add oil on top, and the rest of the breadcrumbs.

Cover and cook on low for 15 minutes. On the induction, I used 4.

Uncover, set a plate in, and invert. This is tricky! Pull the parchment off the top, set it in the pan, and slip the omelet on it, cover, and cook for another 10 minutes.

Get a nice round tray ready! This is Shabbat dinner material.

Goose Foot Cookies

From 2025 New Years: Steinrichs, TeutschRosens,

and WeisbEnnens

We do have a lot of geese in Chestertown, but not sure I know what their feet look like.

This recipe calls for 8 oz of farmers cheese (1/2 package) and egg yolks, some things that pop up occasionally and need to be used. No need for a mixer. They are kind of a cross between kichel and rugelach. 

Perfect with coffee. 

Found it at Olga's Flavor Factory. 

1 c butter (chilled) - that's 2 sticks!
7.5 – 8 oz farmer’s cheese (ricotta or cottage cheese can be substituted)
2 c all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 egg yolks

Lemon zest to taste
2 T(cold or chilled)
1/2 c granulated sugar

Over a large bowl, grate the chilled butter on a box grater.
Add the farmer’s cheese and mix to combine. Add the flour and salt.
Whisk the eggs yolks and water slightly, then add to the dough. Use your hands to quickly knead the ingredients together. 
Form the dough into a disc, cover, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. No need to grease, with all that butter.

Let the dough sit for 10-15 minutes and cut the dough into quarters, then, working with one portion at a time, roll it out thinly on a well floured surface. Take the time to roll it thin as you can.

Use a biscuit cutter (about 3 inches), or an overturned cup or glass (preferably with thin edge) to cut through the dough and press out as much circles from the dough as possible.

Put the sugar into a saucer and press one side of the circle of dough into the sugar.

Fold it in half to form a half moon shape. Press one side into the sugar again, fold it in half and press one of the sides in the sugar. Also dip the folded edges into the sugar.

Place the cookies sugar side up on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20 – 25 minutes. Check 2/3 of the time
and flip, if the bottoms are burning. Bake the cookies till they are puffed up and golden brown.