Class: Spring Menu
by Chef Janet of the www.satisfiedsoul.com

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Fresh Salad Spring Rolls with Dipping Sauce

Dipping Sauce:
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon fish sauce *
1 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon chilli paste with garlic
1 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, minced

Spring Rolls:
12 (8-inch) round sheets rice paper
3 green leaf lettuce leaves, quartered
3 cups fresh broccoli sprouts or bean sprouts* I'm using watercress
36 (2-inch) julienne-cut carrot strips
36 (2-inch) julienne-cut cucumber strips
36 (2-inch) julienne-cut yellow bell pepper strips
24 medium shrimp (or packaged sea legs), cooked, peeled, and halved lengthwise
36 fresh mint leaves and cilantro

To prepare sauce, combine first 7 ingredients, stirring with a whisk until sugar dissolves; set aside.
To prepare spring rolls, add hot water to a large, shallow dish to a depth of 1 inch. Place 1 rice paper sheet in dish; let stand 30 seconds or just until soft. Place rice paper sheet on a flat surface. Arrange 1 lettuce piece in center of sheet. Top with 1/4 cup sprouts, 3 carrot strips, 3 cucumber strips, 3 bell pepper strips, 4 shrimp halves, and 3 mint leaves. Fold sides of sheet over filling; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Gently press seam to seal. Place spring roll, seam side down, on a serving platter (cover to prevent drying).
Repeat procedure with remaining rice paper, lettuce, sprouts, carrot, cucumber, bell pepper, crab leg (*sea legs) or shrimp, and mint. Serve with dipping sauce.

Chicken Cutlets with Spring Vegetables

1 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/2 cup dry sherry or white wine
1 ounce dried morels
4 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon Porcini Powder
1 tablespoon butter
1 cup (1-inch) sliced asparagus
1 cup fresh or frozen petite green peas, thawed
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
1 teaspoon chopped fresh tarragon

Bring chicken broth and sherry to a boil in a small saucepan; add morels. Remove from heat; cover and let stand for 30 minutes. Drain mushrooms in a cheesecloth-lined sieve over a bowl, reserving soaking liquid. Rinse mushrooms; drain.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Combine flour and Porcini Powder in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture. Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 1 minute on each side or until golden. Remove from pan.

Add mushroom soaking liquid and asparagus to pan; cook until liquid is reduced to 1/4 cup (about 5 minutes). Add chicken, peas, and remaining ingredients to pan; cook 5 minutes or until sauce thickens.

Serve on Rice or Pasta

Pavlova (Meringue) with Lemon Curd and Balsamic Strawberries

Meringue:
1 tsp lemon juice or citric acid
6 eggs separated (save yolks)
½ tsp cream of tartar
½ cup white sugar
½ tsp vanilla
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp vinegar (I like raspberry)

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Place a circle of parchment paper onto cooking sheet

2. Wipe out metal bowl with lemon. Set aside. Place whites into bowl with cream of tartar. Whites beat up much higher at room temperature.

3. Beat whites until soft peaks form, gradually adding sugar and beat until peaks get stiffer. Add in vanilla, and then fold in cornstarch and vinegar.

4. Scoop out of bowl onto the parchment circle. Bake for one hour.

Lemon Curd:
½ cup white sugar
Pinch of salt
4 egg yolks
Zest and juice from 4 lemons
1 tbsp butter

1. Beat yolks with sugar, juice and zest over boiling water (double boiler).

2. Keep beating until gradually thickening. Take off heat and beat in butter.

3. Cover with [plastic wrap or waxed paper so no skin forms.

Stirring the strawberries into the warm syrup at the end helps them keep their shape. Serve as garnish for above or by themselves over low-fat frozen yogurt or ice cream.

2 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg * (nut)
3 cups sliced strawberries

Combine the first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Stir in sliced strawberries, and remove from heat. Let stand 5 minutes.

Yield: 7 servings (serving size: 1/4 cup)