February 2007: Poached Salmon Spring Rolls with Thai Hot and Sour Soup

When I am feeling homesick for San Francisco, I love to make these 2 recipes. Great for a Saturday night light dinner...its almost like being at our favorite place on Geary Street.

Poached Salmon Spring Rolls
For salmon:
2 cups water
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled, sliced
1 clove garlic, sliced
2 limes, sliced thin
10 ounces fresh wild salmon, skinned
For spring rolls:
1 ½ tablespoons olive oil
6 ounces fresh shitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps thinly sliced
1 cup fresh mint leaves
1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1 cup finelly shredded Napa cabbage
1 cup matchstick size strips English cucumber
1 cup Mung bean sprouts
12 8 to 9-inch round rice-paper sheets

For Dipping Sauce:
½ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup sugar
3 tablespoons fermented fish sauce
1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon minced jalepeno chili with seeds

For dip sauce: Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl until sugar dissolves.

For Spring rolls:
In a medium saucepan heat water, ginger, and lime until simmering begins. Add salmon, then reduce heat and cover pan. Cook for 12 minutes, until salmon is slightly pink in the middle, then transfer to a plate. Once cooled, lightly shred.
Heat oil in medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Cool. Fill a large bowl halfway with warm water. Add 1 rice paper sheet and turn until beginning to soften, about 1 minute (sheet will be stiff in a few spots). Remove from water; drain on kitchen towel. Repeat with 5 more rice-paper sheets, arranging in a single layer. Divide half of mint, cilantro and basil among softened rice-paper sheets, arranging in line accross lower third of each sheet and leaving 1inch border on each end. Top with half of Napa cabbage, sprouts, cucumber, salmon, and mushrooms. Fold botton of each rice sheet over filling, then fold in ends and roll into a tight cylinder (like rolling a burrito). Place rolls, seam side down, on a platter. Repeat soaking with remaining rice-paper sheets, then top with remaining filling to form 6 more rolls. (Can be made 6 hours ahead. Cover with damp paper towel and plastic wrap; chill.) Cut each roll diagonally into thirds. Arrange on platter and serve with dip sauce.
Makes 36 pieces

Thai Hot and Sour Soup
1 pound large shrimp, peeled, deveined
3 cups chicken broth
½ teaspoon dried red pepper flakes
1 lemongrass stem, cut into 1-inch sections
½ cup chopped cilantro
4 tablespoons lime juice
3 tablespoons ish sauce
1 (11-ounce can) straw mushrooms
2 large plum tomatoes, chopped

Heat broth to boiling. Add all ingredients and reduce heat to medium, cooking only until shrimp turn pink and begin to curl (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat and serve.
4 Servings