How does a beach vacation sound right about now? Even if you’re not able to hop a plane tomorrow for your favorite destination, you can enjoy these dishes – inspired by Sunday brunch at the ocean club on Koh Samui in Thailand – anytime, anywhere.
California Roll Sushi
This simple sushi recipe will soon have you cooking like an international chef. Never fear – if you don’t like the idea of consuming raw fish, this is the sushi for you. Instead of fish, the California roll utilizes imitation crab meat.
Ingredients
2/3 cup sushi rice, prepared according to packaging instructions
1 nori (seaweed) sheet, available in the international section of most grocery stores
1 package imitation crab meat
1/2 avocado
4 oz. cream cheese
Preparation
Break or cut the nori sheet in half. Cover one half of the sheet with half of the available rice. Flip the nori sheet so that the rice is facing downward – the sticky rice should cling to the nori. Coat one edge of the nori with cream cheese. Line up portions of imitation crab along one end of the nori, on top of the cheese. Then, place chunks of avocado alongside the imitation crab. Roll the nori so that the crab, cheese, and avocado make up the innermost layer, with layers of rice and nori surrounding it. Rice will make up the outside layer of the sushi. Cut the roll into 6 pieces of equal size. Then, repeat this process with the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately or refrigerate.
Makes 12 sushi rolls.
Thai Green Curry
Green curry is a specialty of the Sunday brunch menu. Enjoy this dish at home with the following recipe.
Ingredients
1 cup rice
2 cups water
1 tbsp coconut oil
3 tbsp green curry paste, available in the international section of most grocery stores
2 cans full-fat coconut milk
1 tbsp fish sauce, available in the international section of most grocery stores
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1 zucchini, cubed
Preparation
Bring water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add rice, cover, and reduce heat. Simmer for 40 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a wok or large skillet, heat oil and green curry paste over medium-high heat. Stir in coconut milk, bringing to a boil. Add fish sauce, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Be sure to use canned, full-fat coconut milk, as many other coconut milk products on the market will result in a watery curry. Finally, add zucchini and chicken, cooking for 5 minutes or until chicken is ready. Do not overcook, as chicken will be too hard.
Curry is traditionally served in a bowl, like soup, with a side of rice.
Makes 4 to 6 servings.
Gourmet Cheese Sampler
International cheeses are a staple for the luscious dining at Beach Club Koh Samui. Recreate this elegant appetizer at home.
Many have heard of the classic wedding necessities, “Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue.” A similar rhyme can be used to craft a unique and tantalizing cheese board – “Something old, something new, something goat, something bleu.”
Ingredients
Aged cheese, such as cheddar with the rind or smoked gouda
Soft, new cheese, such as baby Swiss or brie
Goat cheese – a sweet goat cheese offsets the other flavors, such as a log of vanilla blueberry goat cheese
Bleu cheese of your choice
Crackers or sliced Italian or French bread
Preparation
Serve your cheeses on a large platter, wooden cutting board, or slate cheese board. For solid cheeses such as cheddar and Swiss, cube in bite size morsels. Provide toothpicks in a decorative container, or spear the cubes in advance. For softer cheeses, provide a cheese knife or butter knife for spreading on bread or a cracker
Serves 2 to 10
If you can finish them at once, don’t forget to check out my previous post about vacuum sealing here!