Corinne Trang

Vietnamese-inspired Surf 'N' Turf, lemongrass-infused head-on jumbo shrimp and pork chops with mango salad and Asian greens on the side...

Impromptu dinners are fun, especially when you can enjoy them outdoors. In a sort of “Iron Chef” fashion I go to my fridge and take a look at what I can throw together for dinner in the spur of the moment, and in a half hour with what is readily available. And since I never know who is going to show up at my door (family or friends, or both, and all with different food preferences), I always have a loaded fridge. For Asian-inspired meals, my arsenal includes ginger, scallion, and garlic, along with fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, shiro-miso (”white” soybean paste), coconut milk, five-spice, and sriracha, a chili and garlic sauce. Lemongrass, cilantro, and mint, and when available Thai basil, I also have on hand.

mango salad and farm-fresh tatsoy...and Brett!

This summer, I’ll also be enjoying the farmers market every Thursday in Westport, CT. This week, the tatsoy was looking so good, I bought a little over a pound to complement a mango salad and Vietnamese-inspired Surf ‘n Turf, head-on jumbo shrimp with 1-inch thick cut pork chops. That’s right in Southeast Asia, seafood is so abundant and pork so inexpensive that they are often combined. And this is a protein combo that will not break the bank, unlike the classic (albeit, delicious) lobster and beef filet mignon version.

Weber's Touch-N-Go Ignition system...reliable and efficient!

My friend Brett is over for dinner tonight and is watching me cook, though like many guys, quickly notices the equipment. He walks over to the Weber Performer and starts drooling as he scans the apparatus. Meanwhile, I’m knee deep in fish sauce, sugar, and vinegar. “I don’t get it,” he says, “It’s a charcoal grill but it’s got a propane tank?” So in my how-to-impress-a-guy style, I confidently download the technical stuff. “Yep! You turn the gas knob counterclockwise one full turn, push the ignition button and voilà! It’s all fired up and ready to go!” And with that, my charcoal starts smoking in no time at all. “Then you turn the gas knob clockwise all the way to shut off the gas, and watch your charcoal continue to burn and turn whitish-gray. That’s what you look for before you put the meat on the grill.”

He also notices the Smokey Mountain Cooker next to the Performer, and says “that too?” and with a grin I say, “oh yeah, I’ll be smokin’ this summer. I can load up about 60 pounds of meat, no problem! You’ll have to come back for that “

And while taking a whiff of the fish sauce almost sent him flying over the railing of my deck as he uttered the words “What the heck…” Apparently, it was a scent he had not encountered before. “A nice chilled beer, perhaps?” I asked, and we continued our evening, sharing a delicious dinner en tête-à-tête. I even got him to suck the juice out of the shrimp heads. The pork chops were deliciously pink in the center and a nice counterpoint to the sour, sweet, and spicy mango salad and refreshing farm-fresh tatsoy. And, he cleaned his plate!

CT’s BASIC SOUTHEAST-ASIAN LEMONGRASS MARINADE (for all sorts of meats and seafood, especially delicious with pork chops and shrimp! This is enough marinade for 1 pound of shrimp and 2 thick cut pork chops. Serves 2 to 4)

1/3 cup fish sauce
1/4 cup palm sugar (or regular)
1 tablespoon grapeseed (or vegetable) oil
1 large garlic clove, grated
1 lemongrass stalk, trimmed, outer bruised leaves removed, stalk grated (from purple to light green parts, about 8 to 10 inches)

In a bowl whisk the fish sauce and sugar until completely dissolved. Add the oil, garlic and lemongrass.

TIP: dealing with head-on shrimp. Cut through the back side of the shrimp to devein, but leave the shells and head intact. The shells will add flavor and keep the meat from burning. The head is full of delicious tomalley. Enjoy it!

Marinate for 20 minutes and grill over direct heat at first so as to crisp, then continue over indirect heat to finish cooking.

CT’s SOUTHEAST ASIAN SOUR MANGO SALAD (serves 2 to 4)

3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons palm sugar (or regular)
3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice, or rice vinegar
2 unripe, hard to the touch mangoes, peeled and shredded
2 red Thai chilies, seeded, and sliced into thin rings
a few freshly torn Thai basil leaves, or cilantro or mint leaves for the garnish
a sprinkling of freshly crushed roasted, unsalted peanuts for the garnish (optional)

In a medium bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, citrus juice or vinegar, and sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add the mango and chilies, and toss. Let stand for 10 minutes and drain. Transfer the salad to a serving bowl and garnish with the fresh basil, cilantro, or mint.

Enjoy these new recipes this Summer and don’t forget to come back next week when we explore lamb, Asian-style!

CT