This Vietnamese noodle dish is bursting with summer-fresh herbs and veggies.
It’s officially summer now, folks! In Toronto we’ve already had a couple of heat waves (what’s a city without a good concrete-roasting?) that have driven me indoors by 11 am. I’m not complaining, though, because for six months of the year, like every Torontonian out there, I’ve been dreaming of these blessed summer days. Every summer I indulge in things that wouldn’t have the same feel any other time of the year: iced drinks, Chris Isaak tunes, Paul Theroux’s The Mosquito Coast, and cooking with fresh herbs. Nothing beats a sunny kitchen, fragrant with the scent of fresh mint, cilantro, parsley, thyme, oregano, and basil. I also love to eat Vietnamese food this time of year; it’s light, bursting with fresh veggies and herbs, and incorporates grilled meats and seafood. One of my favourite dishes is Grilled Lemongrass Pork. I found this lovely recipe, along with a couple of other summertime-fave eats on Seasaltwithfood, a Vancouver food blog that’s full of inspiration for your summer and year-round meals.
Since she started Seasaltwithfood in 2008, Angie Tee has been busy exploring the world through food. The grilled lemongrass pork is a popular dish in Vietnamese restaurants (it’s known as bún), and is served over vermicelli noodles along with beans sprouts, mint, cilantro, thai basil, shredded cucumber and carrot, lettuce, and toasted peanuts (are you salivating yet?). This deep-bowl dish is accompanied by a garlic-chili-lime sauce (don’t be afraid to add more sugar if you prefer it sweeter). I’ve tried this recipe using chicken, as well, and it was just as fabulous.
Wings go beyond pub grub with the addition of fried garlic and butter.
Summer is also patio season, and there’s nothing better than sitting outside with an ice-cold pint of microbrew and snacking on hot wings. Angie’s Spicy Garlic Hot Wings replace the deep-fried fatty version with baked wings that have been coated in flour to lend an extra crunch. Though the recipe calls for vinegar, you should taste your hot sauce first in case it already has enough of a tang (I used Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce, which was already vinegar-y enough), in which case you can omit the vinegar. If you’re looking for more appetizer and snack ideas Angie has, oh, about 270 of them!
Mmm…this rosemary flatbread smells like summer!
I love big salads anytime of the year, especially when the weather is warm. Though I could eat a mixing-bowl size salad (seriously, I have), I still need something extra to fill me up, usually some freshly baked bread. You may end up eating more of this Rosemary Garlic Flatbread than salad, but that’s okay because it’s a nice, light bread. It’s also the perfect accompaniment to soups and grilled meats, or topped with chutney or brie. You’d be hard-pressed not to find something on Seasaltwithfood to suit your appetite, regardless of the occasion or time of year. Try any of these recipes, though, and I assure you, you won’t want summer to ever end.
Photos courtesy of Seasaltwithfood
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