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La Belle Cuisine
Recipe Source:
Charlie Trotter
Cooks at Home
by Charlie Trotter, © 2000,
Ten Speed Press,
Berkeley
 
“This
menu has a strong Asian direction and could be served
with a great
bottle of sake. Edamame (fresh soybeans) would
be a nice addition
to the
beginning of the meal.”
Shrimp
Maki Rolls with
Roasted Red Bell Pepper Aioli
Serves 4
Aioli
1/4 cup chopped roasted red bell pepper
1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Filling
1/3 cup sushi (or maki) rice
1 cup water
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
4 ounces cooked shrimp, chopped
2 scallions, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2
sheets nori
To
prepare the aioli: Purée
the roasted red pepper, mayonnaise, and
lemon juice until smooth. Season
to taste with salt and pepper.
To
prepare the filling: Rinse
the rice under cold running water until the water runs clear. Combine
the rice and water in a small saucepan and
simmer over medium-low heat
for 20 to 25 minutes, or until tender. Cool
to room temperature. Combine
the sugar and vinegar in a small bowl,
pour over the rice, and stir
gently until mixed.
Combine
the shrimp and scallions in a medium bowl and season to taste
with salt
and pepper.
To
prepare the maki roll: Lay
a sheet of nori on a maki roller or a piece
of plastic wrap. Place 1/2
cup of the rice on top of the nori. With moist
hands, spread the rice flat, leaving a 2-inch border
at the top of the nori. Spread 1 tablespoon of the aioli over the rice.
Spoon half of the shrimp mixture across the middle of the rice.
Using
the maki roller or the plastic wrap, start from the bottom and carefully
roll up the nori sheet, creating a firm, smooth maki roll. Moisten the
2-inch border of the nori with water and fold over the roll to create a
seal. Set aside and repeat the process with the remaining ingredients.
Let
the maki rolls stand for 5 minutes at room temperature, and then slice
them into 1 1/2-inch pieces on the diagonal. Serve with the remaining red
bell pepper aioli as a dipping sauce.
Insights:
Nori is the dried, pressed seaweed traditionally used to
wrap maki rolls
and different types of sushi. Maki rollers are thin
pieces of bamboo tied together
into a flexible sheet. Both nori and maki
rollers are available in the Asian
section of many grocery stores, and
they can be found in any Japanese market.
Although it may be tempting to prepare the maki rolls ahead of time and
refrigerate them, don't do it. Refrigerating causes the nori to become
soggy and
the rice to become gummy, completely changing the texture of
the maki roll .
Wine suggestion:
Choose a Cremant d’Alsace with the texture to stand up
to
the rich shellfish and aromatics to highlight the Asian spices.
Egg Drop Soup with
Ginger-Braised Chicken
Serves 4
4
chicken thighs, boned
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1/4 cup peeled and chopped fresh ginger
2 quarts chicken stock
1/2 cup lemon thyme sprigss
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons chopped scallions
To
braise the chicken: Season
the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the canola oil in a large sauté
pan over medium-high heat, add the chicken, and cook for 2 minutes on
each side, or until golden brown. Add the onion,
carrot, and celery to
the pan and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 to 10 minutes, or until
the vegetables are caramelized. Add the ginger and cook
for 2 minutes.
Add the chicken stock to the pan, cover, and cook over medium-low heat
for 30 to 40 minutes, or until the chicken is tender.
Remove the chicken
from the liquid and remove and discard the skin.
Strain the braising
liquid through a fine-mesh sieve, skim and discard the
fat, and set
aside. Cut the chicken into bite-size pieces.
To
prepare the soup: Place
the reserved braising liquid in a medium saucepan and bring to a simmer
over medium heat. Add the lemon thyme
and simmer for 3 minutes. Strain
through a fine-mesh sieve and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Return the liquid to the saucepan and bring it
to a gentle simmer over
medium-low heat. Slowly stir in the egg and
immediately remove the pan
from the heat.
Place
some of the chicken in the center of each bowl. Ladle the soup
into the
bowls, sprinkle with the scallions and top with freshly ground
black
pepper.
Insights:
Lemon thyme can sometimes be difficult for a home cook to
find.
If you aren’t able to purchase it, use regular thyme and a scant
1/2 teaspoon
finely grated lemon zest.
Wine
suggestion: Blanc
de Blancs Champagne has the texture to match
the soup and the
effervescence to highlight the ginger.
Cilantro-Crusted
Tuna Loin with
Bok Choy and Lemon-Sesame Vinaigrette
Serves 4
Vinaigrette
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sesame oil
5 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1
head bok choy, sliced
Four
4-ounce pieces sashimi-grade tuna loin
2 tablespoons canola oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro
To
prepare the vinaigrette: Combine
the lemon juice and vinegar in a
small bowl and whisk in the sesame and
canola oils. Season to taste with
salt and pepper.
To
prepare the bok choy: Heat
1/4 cup of the vinaigrette in a large sauté
pan over medium heat. Add
the bok choy and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or
until the bok choy is just
cooked.
To
prepare the tuna: Rub
the tuna with 1 tablespoon of the canola oil , season with salt and
pepper, and coat with the cilantro. Place the remaining
1 tablespoon
canola oil in a hot sauté pan over high heat and quickly sear
each side
of the tuna for 1 minute, or until golden brown. The tuna should
still
be quite raw in the center. Slice each piece in half on the diagonal and
season the inside flesh with salt and pepper.
Spoon
some of the bok choy in the center of each plate and top with 2
pieces
of tuna. Spoon the vinaigrette over the tuna and around the plates.
Insights: Bok choy is a Chinese cabbage that is available in most grocery
stores.
If you can find it, baby bok choy will make this dish a little
more
visually
interesting. If baby bok choy is available, buy 4 heads,
cook them
whole, and
place one in the center of each plate instead of
the chopped
bok choy.
Wine
suggestion: A New World
sparkling wine with forward fruit and
crisp toastiness is an excellent
complement to the meaty fish.
Chilled Peach Soup
with
Lemongrass Sorbet
Serves 4
Soup
6 peaches, peeled, pitted, and chopped
2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
2/3 cup simple syrup
Sorbet
1 1/2 cups apple juice
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 cup chopped lemongrass
1 tablespoon corn syrup
1/4 cup simple syrup *
1/2 cup peeled and finely diced peaches
*
Bring 1 cup water and 1 cup sugar to a boil in a small saucepan, remove
from the
heat and cool. The syrup may be kept in the refrigerator for up
to 1 month.
To
prepare the soup: Purée
the peaches, orange juice, and simple syrup
until smooth. Pour into a
cheesecloth-lined sieve set into a large bowl and drain overnight in the
refrigerator. Discard the pulp and keep the soup refrigerated until
ready to serve.
To prepare
the sorbet: Bring the apple
and lemon juices to a boil in a medium saucepan and remove from the
heat. Add the lemongrass,
cover,
and steep, off the heat, for 30 minutes. Strain into a medium
bowl through
a fine-mesh sieve and stir in corn syrup and simple syrup.
Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled and then freeze in an ice cream
machine. Keep frozen
until ready to use.
Place a
scoop of sorbet in the center of each bowl. Sprinkle the diced
peaches
around the sorbet and spoon the soup into the bowls.
Insights:
Lemongrass, a popular ingredient in Thai cooking, is a tall,
stalky
herb with a strong lemon flavor and fragrance. If you can’t
find lemongrass,
lemon balm will work as well. Otherwise, make lemon
sorbet by combining
1 1/2 cups simple syrup, 3/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon
juice, and 1 table-
spoon
corn syrup and
freezing it in an ice cream
machine.
Wine
suggestion: A sparkling
dessert wine that is not too sweet will
complement the fruit and remain
refreshing to match the sorbet.
Chef Charlie Trotter
Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home - Menu 1
Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home - Menu 3
Charlie Trotter Cooks at Home - Menu 4
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