Vietnamese Meatballs

INGREDIENTS

For the meatballs:

• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 cup red onion, finely chopped
• 1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon honey
• 1 Thai chili, finely chopped (optional)

Dipping sauce

• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1 Thai chili, finely chopped (optional)
• 
  
• Put all the ingredients for the meatballs in a food processor and blend until everything is mixed and minced. Transfer to a bowl.
• Put a little oil in your hands, just enough to lightly coat fingers and palms and use a tablespoon to scoop up the beef mixture so the meatballs are the same size. Repeat process until all the beef mixture is used.
• In a deep pan over medium high heat, add oil and the meatballs. Cover and cook for 5 minutes. Turn the meatballs over, cover and cook for another 5 or until meatballs are golden brown.
• Mix all the ingredients for the dipping sauce in a bowl and serve together with beef meatballs. Pour over or use as a dipping sauce.
• Serve with rice, tomatoes and a few cilantro leaves.

Honey Sesame Pasta Salad

 we make this all summer long. Thank you, Dan Pelosi.

Ingredients

• 1 lb box of rotini 

• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes

• 2 cups diced cucumbers

• 2 cups fresh corn kernels

• 2 cups chopped romaine lettuce

• 1 pound of thinly sliced chicken breast tenders*

• 1/2 cup of sesame seeds 

• 1/4 cup olive oil

• 2 tablespoons honey 

• Sesame Honey Dijon dressing: 

• 2/3 cup olive oil 

• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar 

• 2 tablespoons honey

• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

• 1/8 cup toasted sesame seeds

• salt, pepper and red pepper flakes to taste

• *you can easily substitute firm tofu here.

Preparation

1. Bring a pot of well-salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook until al dente pasta. After 7 minutes, drain pasta and set aside. 

1. Lay out your chicken tenders on a cutting board and season with salt. On a small plate, pour ½ cup of sesame seeds. Evenly coat each side of the chicken in the sesame seeds. Heat a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of honey. Place the half of the chicken in the pan and cook for 3 minutes on each side until golden brown. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of honey into the pan and repeat with the rest of the chicken. Cut the chicken into ½ inch pieces. Set aside.

1. While the chicken rests, make the dressing. Whisk all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl until well-combined. 

1. Put the pasta in a large bowl and add in 2 cups each of tomato, cucumber, corn, and lettuce. Toss to coat. 

1. Cut the chicken into ½ inch pieces and serve either on top of the pasta salad or tossed into the pasta salad. Enjoy! 

1. This pasta salad can be served warm or cold and is easily made ahead of time!

Spaghetti With Ramps

Mid to late April this is a classic in Pine Bush. 

Ingredients

4 Servings

12

ounces spaghetti

Kosher salt

4

tablespoons unsalted butter

2

tablespoons olive oil

3

bunches ramps (about 18 ounces), greens and bulbs separated, greens torn into 2-inch pieces, bulbs thinly sliced

Freshly ground black pepper

½

cup finely grated Parmesan, plus more, shaved, for serving

1

tablespoon finely grated lemon zest

2

lemons, halved, for serving

Preparation

1. Cook pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water, stirring occasionally, until al dente.

   Meanwhile, heat butter and oil in a large skillet over medium. Add ramp bulbs; season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent and tender, about 4 minutes.

   When pasta is nearly done, add ramp greens to bulbs and toss to coat.

   Drain pasta, reserving 1½ cups pasta cooking liquid. Add pasta to skillet along with ½ cup cooking liquid; toss to coat. Cook, tossing often and adding more cooking liquid as needed, until a thick, glossy sauce coats pasta. Add grated Parmesan and lemon zest, season with salt and pepper, and toss to coat. Divide among bowls, top with shaved Parmesan, and serve with lemon halves.