began, and I’m passionate about its mission: to help consumers, chefs and businesses choose seafood that is caught or farmed in ways that contribute to healthy oceans.

Cooking for Solutions takes place this year May 17-19, and there are still tickets available for several events. Cooking for Solutions supports the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s respected Seafood Watch program, recognized as the leader in creating science-based recommendations for choosing sustainable seafood. The event includes three days of tastings with celebrity chefs, including Carla Hall  from The Chew . You’ll find food from more than 80 restaurants, and nearly 60 wineries will pour their latest selections. I am part of a Food & Wine Adventure on Saturday, May 18, in the Carmel Highlands, and look forward to these intimate classes each year.

One of my favorite sustainable seafood choices is Black Cod, also known as Sablefish or Butterfish. It has a delicious flavor and one of its best attributes is that even if you overcook it a bit, the fish is still moist and firm.

Sablefish, courtesy Monterey Bay Aquarium

This recipe for Black Cod in a Spicy Coconut Broth uses a curry mixture called laksa   . It has its roots in Malaysia. And if you want to replace the spinach, you could use other Asian greens like steamed baby bok choy. I hope you enjoy the recipe- and let me know what you think of Black Cod!

BLACK COD IN A SPICY COCONUT BROTH

Serves 4

4 fillets of fresh black cod cut at least 3/4 inch thick (approximately 1-1/2 pounds total)
Salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tablespoons olive oil
6 cups lightly packed young spinach
1 cup chicken stock
1-1/2 cups coconut milk, well stirred
3/4 cup laksa paste or to taste (recipe follows)

Garnish: Daikon or other savory sprouts such as sunflower

Pat the cod dry, season lightly with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in an ovenproof sauté pan (preferably non-stick) over moderately high heat and quickly sauté fish on one side until nicely browned. Turn fish over and place pan in a preheated 450-degree oven for 4 – 5 minutes or until just cooked through.

While fish is cooking heat the stock and coconut milk in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Stir in laksa paste and keep warm.

To serve add remaining tablespoon of oil to a large skillet and heat over moderately high heat. Add spinach stir-fry until just beginning to wilt, about 1 minute. Place spinach in the center of shallow warm bowls and top with cod. Ladle broth around, top with sprouts and serve immediately.

Laksa Paste
Makes a little more than a cup

2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce (or to taste)*
1/3 cup chopped shallots
1/3 cup chopped and toasted macadamia nuts or blanched almonds
1/4 cup peeled and finely chopped ginger
2 tablespoons coriander seeds, toasted and ground
2 tablespoons fish sauce (or to taste)
Juice and zest from 2 large limes
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup or so coconut milk

Add all ingredients except coconut milk to a blender and process for a minute or two or until very smooth. Add mixture to a small saucepan and cook over moderate heat for 2 – 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Should be very fragrant. Stir in coconut milk and cook for 2 – 3 minutes more. Store covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or frozen for up to 3 months.

*Chili garlic sauce is available in the Asian markets and the Asian section of some supermarkets. Lee Kum Kee from Hong Kong is a widely distributed brand.

Photo from Jespahjoy

CHEESE FONDUE

Serves 6

With the unprecedented cheese renaissance in this country, this old war horse of the 60’s and 70’s is making a huge comeback. Time to unearth that old fondue pot and long forks or wooden skewers and treat your sweetie to something special.

Emmental and Gruyère are the most commonly used cheeses in a classic fondue, but Appenzeller, Comté, Beaufort, Tête de Moine — all relatively low in moisture — also work fine. The addition of cornstarch keeps the cheese and wine from separating.

As an additional treat, when you’re almost done eating the fondue, leave a thin coating of cheese on the bottom of the pot. Lower the flame and allow the coating to turn into a brown crust, then break it into pieces and share it with your guests. The crust is considered a delicacy in Switzerland.

1 garlic clove, halved crosswise
1 1/2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons kirsch
1/2 pound Emmental cheese, coarsely grated (2 cups)
1/2 pound Gruyère , coarsely grated (2 cups)

Accompaniments: Cubes of French bread, apple wedges, cubes of smoked ham, boiled baby new potatoes or whatever else you’d like.

Rub inside of a 4-quart heavy pot with cut sides of garlic, and then discard garlic. Add wine to pot and bring just to a simmer over moderate heat.

Stir together cornstarch and kirsch in a cup.

Gradually add cheese to pot and cook, stirring constantly in a zigzag pattern (not a circular motion) to prevent cheese from balling up, until cheese is just melted and creamy (do not let boil). Stir cornstarch mixture again and stir into fondue. Bring fondue to a simmer and cook, stirring, until thickened, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer to fondue pot set over a flame and serve with bread and other accompaniments for dipping.

OYSTERS ROCKEFELLER

Serves 4 to 6 as an appetizer

Invented at Antoine’s in New Orleans in 1899, the dish was named after John D. Rockefeller , the richest American at the time, for the richness of the sauce. Antoine’s has kept the original recipe secret but all kinds of interpretations exist. Basically it includes a rich cream sauce with spinach and other greens and flavored with Pernod or anisette. This version omits the rich sauce but is still full of flavor.

24 small to medium oysters
2 cups gently packed young spinach leaves
1-1/2 cups gently packed watercress, large stems removed or more spinach
1/3 cup gently packed celery leaves
5 tablespoons butter
1 ounce Pernod or other licorice flavored liqueur
Salt to taste
Drops of lemon juice and your favorite hot sauce to taste
3/4 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Shuck the oysters discarding the flat top shells. Drain the oysters and strain their liquor and refrigerate both until ready to cook. Wash deep shell inside and out and set aside.

Blanch the spinach, watercress and celery leaves in lightly salted, boiling water for 30 seconds until wilted. Strain and rinse thoroughly in cold water to stop the cooking and set the bright green color. Add the greens to a food processor along with the green onions and pulse to chop very finely (or can be done by hand).

Melt butter in a skillet over moderate heat and add chopped greens and cook until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Add the strained liquor, Pernod and season to your taste with salt, drops of lemon juice and pepper sauce and cook until the liquid is mostly absorbed. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a shallow baking pan or cookie sheet with 1/3 inch or so rock or coarse salt and press reserved oyster shells into the salt to keep them upright. Place an oyster in each and divide the green sauce among them. Top with parmesan and bake until sauce is bubbly and cheese is lightly browned, about 8 minutes.

ASPARAGUS RAVIOLI WITH BROWN BUTTER SAUCE

Makes 20,  serving 4

You could also use fresh pasta for this in place of the won tons. It will take a little longer to cook of course.

1/2 pound tender young asparagus, woody ends discarded, tips reserved
Sea salt
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons mascarpone cheese
1/3 cup farmer or whole milk ricotta cheese
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon anchovy paste or mashed anchovy fillets
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
40 wonton wrappers

For the sauce
1/2 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup slivered blanched almonds or pine nuts, chopped
Freshly ground black pepper
Freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Freshly grated lemon zest
Parsley Sprigs for garnish, preferably fried

For the ravioli: Bring 4 cups salted water to a boil in a saucepan. Add asparagus tips and cook till tender but still bright green, 1 minute. Drain and shock in ice water drain again and set aside. Cut stalks into 1-inch lengths and cook as above. Dry stalks on a paper towels and chop very finely in a food processor or by hand. Place in a bowl.

Add cheeses and remaining ingredients except wontons and stir together. Taste and adjust seasoning. Place a scant tablespoon of filling on half of the wrappers. Using a pastry brush, paint water around edge of each square. Top each with one of the reserved wrappers and press edges firmly to seal. If you don’t cook ravioli right away, cover with a damp cloth.

Bring salted water to a rolling boil in a large pot. Add ravioli and bring to a boil. As soon as ravioli rise to the top, about 1 minute, remove with a slotted spoon to warmed plates.

For the sauce: While waiting for water to boil, melt butter in a skillet over moderate heat and add almonds, shaking pan. Cook until butter turns a light brown color. Add reserved asparagus tips and drizzle over ravioli. Top with a grinding or two of pepper, some freshly grated parmesan and a little lemon zest. Garnish with parsley sprigs.

John Ash © 2013

John Ash and fellow chef and friend, Mei Ibach, pose with salmon dishes made at the Windsor Certified Farmer’s Market, August, 2012. Photo courtesy: Rick Tang

I recently demonstrated this recipe at the Farmer’s Market in Windsor, CA, near my home in Sonoma County. We used salmon that was line-caught locally in Bodega Bay. Before you purchase any seafood, I recommend consulting first with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch chart, which can be found online, or you can download a free pocket guide or an app for your phone.

Chef John Ash talks about sustainable seafood at the Windsor Certified Farmer’s Market. Photo courtesy: Rick Tang

This Japanese Style of roasting works equally well on fresh halibut or sea bass. I serve the resulting fish hot or at room temperature, either as the center of the plate or as part of a salad. If you are doing this fish on the barbeque, a technique that I find helpful is to place the fish skin side down on a sheet of heavy aluminum foil and cook it indirectly and covered over a medium heat. The foil prevents the fish from sticking or burning (because of the sugar in the marinade).

John demonstrating sustainable seafood recipes at the Windsor Certified Farmer’s Market. Photo courtesy: Rick Tang

If you are broiling, do the same thing and be careful not to get the fish too close to the broiler element so that it can cook without burning. I’d allow at least 4 inches between the fish and the heat source. You can serve the salmon as is, or with a noodle salad. I’ve included the recipe if you decide to do the latter. Enjoy!

Japanese Roasted Salmon served over Soba Noodle Salad. Photo courtesy: Rick Tang

Japanese Style Roasted Salmon

Serves 4

4 five ounce fillets of wild salmon with skin on
1/2 teaspoon salt

Marinade
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sake or dry white wine
1/4 cup mirin
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons chopped green onion
3 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
Zest and juice of one small lemon
Soba Noodle Salad (recipe follows)

Season salmon with salt and set aside.

Combine marinade ingredients stirring to dissolve the sugar. Pour marinade over fish and marinate refrigerated for 2 – 4 hours. Turn fish occasionally.

To serve: Roast salmon in a preheated 450 degree oven or alternately broil or grill salmon until just done, about 4 – 5 minutes depending on thickness. Be careful not to overcook. Salmon should still be translucent in the center. Serve with Soba Noodle Salad, if desired.
Soba Noodle Salad

Dressing:
Makes 3/4 cup or so

1/4 cup Dashi or defatted chicken stock
2-1/2 tablespoons white (Shiro) Miso
2 tablespoons seasoned rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce, preferably low sodium
1/3 cup or so canola or other neutral vegetable oil
1 tablespoon chopped sweet pickled ginger

Add the stock, miso, vinegar and sesame oil to a mini processor or blender and with motor running slowly add oil to form a creamy dressing. Add ginger and pulse a couple of times to very finely chop and incorporate. Store covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Pulse in a blender if sauce separates to bring it back together before serving.

Salad:
4 ounces dried soba noodles
2 cups peeled, seeded cucumbers, sliced on an angle
1 cup green onions, whites and green tops sliced on the bias
1 cup daikon radish or sunflower sprouts, gently packed
1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted
Japanese seven-spice powder (Togorashi), to taste (optional)
Bring 2 quarts of lightly salted water to a boil in a large pot over high heat. Separate the noodles and drop them into the boiling water, stirring once or twice. When the water begins to boil, add 1 cup of cold water. Repeat this procedure twice cooking until the noodles are just tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Drain in a colander. Rinse with cold water until completely cooled, tossing gently to remove surface starch and drain well.

Toss the noodles with the dressing, cucumbers and onions. Top with the sprouts, sesame seeds, and a pinch of seven-spice powder.
Recommended Wines: Soft reds like pinot noir or merlot are nice with this salmon as long as you don’t allow it to become too sweet. A drier style Gewürztraminer or Riesling, especially those from Alsace, are also delicious with this dish.

John Ash (c) 1994
Revised 1/08

Yours truly with a fresh ling cod

I’ve just returned from an annual class I do at the Talon Lodge  in Alaska. This gorgeous place is located on a private island near Sitka and offers magnificent views of the stunning scenery. Guided fishing trips here are a lot of fun, and educational. For the classes I teach, we have a full gourmet kitchen to work in, and help educate participants in making wise, sustainable choices when cooking seafood, so we can help take care of our oceans.

Wild caught salmon from Alaska is considered one of the best seafood choices you can make, and it tastes outstanding. That is what I recommend when making this recipe. Enjoy!

Group shot with a fresh caught Halibut, and wild Alaskan salmon

SALMON WITH PEAR VINEGAR CREAM

Gorgeous silver salmon, fresh from the Alaskan waters

Serves 4

This is a very straightforward recipe that I like a lot. The sauce goes equally well on anything quickly sautéed,  like chicken breast, pork tenderloin medallions or vegetables. Try experimenting with different fruit vinegars of which there are many on the market. A brand that I recommend is Cuisine Perel who have a killer pear vinegar along with several other flavored vinegars . Remember that vinegars can have different strengths and you will want to adjust the amount to your taste.

3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 – 3 cups packed green shrimp shells
1/4 cup chopped shallots or green onion
1/4 cup or so pear or other fragrant fruit vinegar
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh tarragon
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Brown sugar
1/2 cup diced fresh pears (or whatever the vinegar is made of)
4 six ounce salmon fillets, skin on preferably
Butter braised spinach (recipe follows)

Garnish: Fresh tarragon or chervil sprigs

In a heavy sauté pan heat two tablespoons of the butter and one tablespoon of oil over moderately high heat. Coarsely chop shells and add to the pan along with the shallots and stir until lightly colored. If using shrimp paste add when shallots are almost done. Add the vinegar and stock and reduce over high heat until sauce thickens slightly, about 4 minutes. Strain, pressing down on the solids and return to pan and add the cream. Reduce again to a light sauce consistency. Stir in herbs and season to taste with salt, pepper and, depending on the sweetness of the vinegar, a bit of brown sugar to taste. Set aside and keep warm (can be made ahead and gently reheated). Stir in diced fruit just before serving.

Note: Depending on strength/flavor of the vinegar you can whisk in a tablespoon or so into the sauce at this point for a more piquant finish. Sauce may “separate” or look curdled. Don’t fret! Simply buzz it back to life with an immersion or regular blender.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Season salmon with salt and pepper. Add remaining butter and oil to a heavy oven-proof sauté pan and quickly sauté salmon skin side up until lightly colored, about 2 minutes. Turn salmon skin side down and place in the preheated oven until just cooked through but still rosy in the center, about 5 minutes. Arrange a mound of spinach on warm plates, place salmon on top, spoon warm sauce around and garnish with herb sprigs. Serve immediately.
Butter braised spinach

3 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups baby spinach (loosely packed)
Drops of fresh lemon juice
Salt and freshly ground pepper

In a large sauté pan heat the butter and olive oil over moderately high heat. Add spinach a toss quickly to wilt, about 1 minute. Be careful not to overcook or spinach will weep. Season to taste with drops of lemon juice, salt and pepper and serve immediately.

This guy lives at Fortress of the Bear, a place that rescues bear cubs.

Photo from Wikipedia

I’m already looking ahead to spring of the New Year and one of my favorite events I participate in each year, the Cooking for Solutions gathering at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  I am one of the founding chefs of this event and I fully believe in its mission to educate people about why and how to inspire conservation in our oceans.  This year’s event takes place May 18-20, 2012 and I’ve been assigned Sablefish as my star ingredient for a dish to serve at the Friday night Gala Tasting.

Sablefish, also known as Black Cod or Butterfish is one of my favorite fishes, and of course, it is sustainably managed in the wild. It has a delicious flavor and one of its best attributes is that even if you overcook it a bit, the fish is still moist and firm. I’m working on the recipe right now and will share it with you soon!

In the meantime, I hope you’ll put this year’s Cooking for Solutions event on your calendar and consider making a spring trip to Monterey with me!  In addition to the Friday night Gala Tasting, there are several
Food & Wine Adventures you can sign up for.  Here are details for the one I’m participating in.  It’s really going to be a great time!

Food & Wine Adventures
Sat., May 19
9:30 a.m.- 3:30 p.m.
$225 general public / $175 Aquarium members
(Tax-deductible portion: $140 general public / $90 Aquarium members)
Explore, savor and learn at one of six small-group events led by our celebrity chefs. Each takes you on a different exploration of sustainable foods: on the farm, in the water or in the kitchen. Whether you want to hone your culinary skills with a master chef, learn salty stories from a “seafoodie” or explore scenic vineyards in the Santa Lucia Highlands, our Food & Wine Adventures give you the opportunity to spend time with culinary leaders and gain firsthand knowledge from their expertise.  Depending on the adventure, you’ll join John Ash and Clayton Chapman, Sean Baker, Ben Sargent, Kevin Gillespie, Jesse Ziff Cool or Cindy Pawlcyn for a fascinating culinary exploration.

Tour 1: The Art of Food
Event begins and ends at the Aquarium. Transportation will be provided.
Join celebrity chefs John Ash (culinary educator and cookbook author, Santa Rosa, California), Clayton Chapman (The Grey Plume, Omaha, Nebraska) and Wendy Brodie (Art of Food, Carmel, California) at Wendy’s Carmel Highlands home. Guests will enhance their culinary skills and get a glimpse into the creative minds of each chef as the group prepares a gourmet lunch in a demonstration kitchen that affords sweeping views of forest and ocean. It’s a true opportunity to cook with the masters. You’ll enjoy the fruits of your labors together, along with premium wines by Estancia.

Photo from Hog Island Oyster Company

This Saturday, (April 30, 2011) I am honored to be the Guest Shucker at the Hog Island Oyster Company at the Oxbow Market in Downtown Napa.  From 2:30 p.m. to 5:30  p.m., yours truly will shuck and share with everyone who comes to the oyster bar.  Hog Island will also serve one of my sauce recipes, a Salsa Verde, that is my all-time favorite with oysters.

I hope you’ll come and share some oysters with me, and if you bring some home, you’ll want to make your own Salsa Verde to enjoy with them.  Enjoy!

SALSA VERDE
Makes about 1 cup

This is a quick little sauce of Spanish origin that is delicious on all kinds of grilled, pan seared or roasted meats, fish and vegetables.  Note that I’ve used blanched or roasted garlic rather than the fresh raw type.  I think this is especially important if you are going to make the sauce ahead.  Within an hour, raw garlic can become harsh and hot.  Blanched or roasted garlic maintains its more subtle and sweet flavor and doesn’t overpower the sauce as it sits.

1 cup coarsely chopped parsley
4 anchovy fillets, rinsed
2 tablespoons drained capers
2 tablespoons blanched or roasted garlic (see note below)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil or mint or 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest
2/3 cup or so fruity extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Add the parsley, anchovies, capers, garlic, basil and zest to a food processor or blender.  With machine running, slowly add the oil until just blended.  Sauce should still have a little texture.  Season with salt and pepper.  Can be stored covered and refrigerated for up to 1 day.

Note:  To poach garlic, separate cloves but don’t peel.  Place in a small sauce pan and cover with at least ½ inch of cold water.  Place on stove over high heat and bring to a boil.  As soon as water boils, drain and repeat process one more time.  Rinse to cool off cloves.  Remove husk from poached garlic and store covered in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

To roast garlic, cut off top quarter of a whole head to expose each of the cloves.  Drizzle with a little olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Wrap loosely in foil and roast in a preheated 375-degree oven for 30 – 40 minutes or until garlic is soft when gently squeezed.  Store covered in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.  Squeeze out as needed.

Photo from the Alasa Seafood Marketing Institute

I hope everyone has had a great Passover and Easter weekend.  As a result, many of us have some leftover hard-boiled eggs to put to good use.  This recipe was printed in a recent article of Restaurant Hospitality, talking about seafood trends in restaurants.  Let me know how this recipe works for you!

Makes 8 deviled egg halves

4 hard-cooked large eggs*
¼ cup mayonnaise
2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Juice of 1 lemon wedge
¼ tsp. each hot sauce and salt
5 oz. Wild Alaska Crabmeat

Optional Garnish: pimenton or paprika, and chervil sprigs

Halve eggs lengthwise. Carefully remove the yolks from eggs and place yolks in a mixing bowl.

Mash yolks with a fork (or press through a sieve). Add mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, hot sauce and salt; blend. Fold in the crabmeat. Gently spoon mixture into egg whites. Garnish with sprinkle of pimenton or paprika, and chervil, if desired.

*To make perfect hard-cooked eggs, place eggs in a single layer in a deep saucepan. Cover eggs by at least 1 inch of water. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to simmer and cook 3 minutes. Turn off heat; cover and let sit 15 minutes. Drain; add ice water to cover eggs. Gently crack eggs all over, then peel under cold running water.

Chef John Ash shares culinary tips and tricks during a Food & Wine Adventure at Cooking for Solutions © Monterey Bay Aquarium

I will be joining the Monterey Bay Aquarium for its tenth Cooking for Solutions celebration, May 20-22, 2011. In a weekend of celebrations, live cooking demonstrations, intimate salons and culinary adventures you’ll discover how I   and some of the nation’s top chefs find delicious ways to protect the health of our soil, water and ocean wildlife.

Cooking for Solutions 2011 will feature live events with special guests and celebrity chefs including:

Alton Brown – Be Square Productions, Atlanta, Georgia

Robert Irvine – host of Food Network’s Dinner Impossible

Lynne Rossetto Kasper – Author/host, The Splendid Table, St. Paul, Minnesota

Nathan Lyon - Chef/host, Growing A Greener World, Los Angeles, California

Rick Moonen – Rick Moonen’s rm seafood, Las Vegas, Nevada

Cindy Pawlcyn – Mustard’s Grill, Go Fish and Cindy’s Backstreet Kitchen, Napa Valley, California

P. Allen Smith – P. Allen Smith’s Garden Home, Little Rock, Arkansas

Joining this all-star weekend roster will be 40 other celebrity and regional chefs, as well as leaders in the sustainable and organic food movements.

The signature Cooking for Solutions Gala on Friday night is the feel-good

Photo from ©Monterey Bay Aquarium

celebration of the year with more than 70 restaurants and 60 wineries serving sustainable cuisine amid the aquarium’s award-winning exhibits and galleries.

Cooking for Solutions supports the Monterey Bay Aquarium respected Seafood Watch program. Seafood Watch is recognized as the leader in creating science-based recommendations that help consumers, chefs and businesses choose seafood that is caught or farmed in ways that contribute to healthy oceans.

Buy tickets for all Cooking for Solutions events at www.cookingforsolutions.org or call 831-647-6886 (toll-free 866-963-9645).

Friend the Monterey Bay Aquarium on Facebook

Follow the Monterey Bay Aqurium on Twitter – Use hashtag #CFS11 when you tweet about Cooking for Solutions!

Aquarium members enjoy exclusive Cooking for Solutions events and discounted tickets! To learn more, or to become a member, call (831) 647-6886 or toll-free (866) 963-9645.

Photo taken by John Ash

I just returned from a couple of weeks in Viet Nam.  It was an amazing trip.  In Viet Nam you’ll find the whole cultural spectrum of primitive to ultra modern often chock-a-block to each other.  The foods are wonderful, the best being what you find on the streets everywhere.  Flavors and ingredients differ in this long, narrow country.  In Hanoi, the capital in the north, food is more hearty and rustic, no doubt driven by the weather there which can be pretty cold in the winter.

As you move south, the beautiful beaches of the China Sea in Da Nang are quickly being developed into first class resorts.  Reminds me of the beaches in Mexico 30 years ago.  Probably says get there before it becomes too touristy.  Europeans are flocking there to buy homes and condos because of the temperate weather and cheap prices.  As you’d expect, cuisine is heavily seafood oriented.

Saigon in the south is tropical and lush.  The nearby Mekong Delta is one

Photo taken by John Ash

of the most important food-producing spots in the world.  Every where you look are rice paddies, bananas, fish farms, ducks and four-footed animals of all kinds.  The food here reflects that diversity.

Though you don’t see much of the French influence today (with the exception of the delicious Bahn Mi sandwich made with a classic French baguette) the French dominated the region from 1887 when French Indochina was formed which included what we know today as Viet Nam along with Cambodia and Laos.  This ended in 1954.

My observation is that Vietnamese food differs from Thai not so much in terms of ingredients but more a subtlety of flavor (probably a contribution from the French) in seasoning . . . Vietnamese being not so fiery chile influenced as Thai often is.

A dipping/table sauce that appears everywhere is Nuoc Cham.  There are as many variations on the recipe as there are people who make it.  Below is my riff on Nuoc Cham in a fish salad.  This particular recipe is one that I’ll be preparing for this year’s Cooking for Solutions event at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in May 2011.  Go to www.montereybayaquarium.org/vi/vi_events/cooking for more information.

VIETNAMESE SALAD WITH FRESH TROUT

Serves 4

Any crisp vegetables that you like could be added or substituted here.  There are several inexpensive tools on the market which make julienning a snap.  I’m pan cooking the trout here but you could also grill or poach it.  I love serving this in little Asian to-go boxes!

2 completely boned trout, about 10 ounces each

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Lime juice

3 tablespoons olive or canola oil

2 ounces thin rice noodles softened in warm water and drained

Toasted sesame oil

2 cups very finely sliced green or Nappa cabbage

1 cup or so carrot cut in fine julienne

1 cup or so finely julienned daikon radish, crisped in ice water and drained

1 medium red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into fine julienne

2 cups seeded and thinly sliced English cucumber

Nuoc Cham (recipe follows)

1/4 cup or so loosely packed tender cilantro and/or mint sprigs

2 tablespoons chopped toasted peanuts

Season the cavities of the trout with salt, pepper and a squeeze of lime.  Add oil to a large skillet and, over moderately high heat, cook the trout until just done.  Remove and set aside to cool.  Remove skin from trout and break fillets into large pieces.  Set aside.

In a bowl toss the noodles with a few drops of sesame oil. Combine the cabbage, carrots, daikon, red pepper and cucumber and gently toss with the noodles.  Add the trout and artfully arrange on a plate or in a small Asian to-go box.  Spoon the Nuoc Cham over and top with cilantro and chopped peanuts.  Serve immediately with chop sticks.

Nuoc Cham

Makes about 1 cup

1/2 cup fresh lime juice

4 tablespoons Asian fish sauce

1 teaspoon minced fresh red chile or to taste

2 teaspoons finely minced garlic

5 tablespoons sugar or to taste

1 tablespoon cilantro leaves, coarsely chopped

Combine all ingredients and stir until sugar is dissolved.  Let stand at least 30 minutes before serving for flavors to develop.  Adjust salt/sweet/tart/hot flavors to your taste.

John Ash © 2011

.

Photo from ©Monterey Bay Aquarium

Every year I look forward to the annual “Cooking for Solutions” get together in May at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.  It’s always a sell out and folks tell me that they wish they would have signed up for some or all of the awesome events.  Well here’s a little insider tip: Tickets go on sale right after January 1, 2011.  Go to www.cookingforsolutions.org and you’ll have the first pick.  This year’s event takes place May 20-22.  Look forward to seeing you there!