I had bar food for brunch yesterday. Green Bay was playing Dallas at one p.m. and my husband and I both did not want to cook so it was only logical to go out to eat at a place that had wall-to-wall coverage of the game.
Coming out of the bar with a belly full of diet coke and fried food made us both regret our decision of brunch-at-a-bar instantaneously. For the rest of the afternoon, I felt lethargic. I laid around the apartment surfing the web on my iPad, waiting for the second playoff game of the day to begin...
Here is a dish that is quick to make and combines a variety of flavors that marry well. It's based on a dish from a vietnamese restaurant that my husband and I frequent. Greens, protein, and carbs altogether in one bowl...
For dinner, my husband offered to order a pizza. It was tempting. I felt so lazy after brunch that I really did not want to cook but I knew I had to because if I didn't, I'll probably feel crummy the next day as well.
Vietnamese Ground Pork with Lettuce Over Rice
Adapted and modified from Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
2 hearts of romaine, thinly chopped lettuce
5 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
1 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 thumb-size ginger, minced
3 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 lemon, juiced
7 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoon of oil
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup of hot water
Steamed rice (optional)
black sesame for sprinkling
Put eggs in a saucepan with cold water just enough to cover the eggs 1/2 inch. Put the lid on the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat but leave the lid on for 12 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Put all the prepared greens in a large bowl and set aside.
In a bowl, mix together ginger, fish sauce, lemon juice, and 2 cloves worth of minced garlic. Set aside.
Peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut crosswise in half. Transfer the yolks to a small bowl and mash. Set aside. Slice the whites and set aside.
Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Heat the oil in skillet and add the remaining minced garlic. Stir for 20 seconds, then toss in the pork. Use your spatula to break up the pork into small pieces. When the pork has browned, add the sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the vinegar, hot water, and the reserved mashed egg yolks. Stir to blend.
Pour the pork mixture over the prepared greens and toss gently. Pour the lemon dressing and toss.
If rice was prepared, then place rice on the bottom of a bowl and spoon the pork and lettuce on top of the rice. Arrange sliced egg whites on top and sprinkle with black sesame.
Adapted and modified from Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia
Ingredients:
4 large eggs
2 hearts of romaine, thinly chopped lettuce
5 scallions, thinly sliced diagonally
1 cup of fresh cilantro, chopped
1 thumb-size ginger, minced
3 tablespoon Thai fish sauce
1 lemon, juiced
7 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoon of oil
1 pound ground pork
1 tablespoon sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/2 cup of hot water
Steamed rice (optional)
black sesame for sprinkling
Put eggs in a saucepan with cold water just enough to cover the eggs 1/2 inch. Put the lid on the saucepan. Bring to a boil, then turn off the heat but leave the lid on for 12 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool.
Put all the prepared greens in a large bowl and set aside.
In a bowl, mix together ginger, fish sauce, lemon juice, and 2 cloves worth of minced garlic. Set aside.
Peel the hard-boiled eggs and cut crosswise in half. Transfer the yolks to a small bowl and mash. Set aside. Slice the whites and set aside.
Heat a heavy skillet over high heat. Heat the oil in skillet and add the remaining minced garlic. Stir for 20 seconds, then toss in the pork. Use your spatula to break up the pork into small pieces. When the pork has browned, add the sugar and 1 teaspoon of salt. Add the vinegar, hot water, and the reserved mashed egg yolks. Stir to blend.
Pour the pork mixture over the prepared greens and toss gently. Pour the lemon dressing and toss.
If rice was prepared, then place rice on the bottom of a bowl and spoon the pork and lettuce on top of the rice. Arrange sliced egg whites on top and sprinkle with black sesame.