Thursday, March 5, 2015

Shrimp Pad Thai and a Delicious Side Salad


Genes are funny things. A gene can be lurking in a parent who doesn't even know it's there and then, years later, a child finds out through a blood test that she's inherited one gene from each parent that has given her some gluten intolerance. That child would be my daughter and both my husband and I each gave her a gene that was recessive in us but in her...not so much. Thankfully, it's not a severe intolerance.  She had complained about some digestive issues ever since college and recently had a blood test done to find out what was causing it.
 

So why do I have a plate full of pasta pictured as I'm talking about gluten intolerence?  That's because it's not pasta at all but wide rice noodles. For all of you who have family members or friends who have a gluten intolerance and still want to serve them a delicious meal, this is a recipe that will satisfy everyone at the table.  It was pictured in a recent Williams Sonoma catalog and found on their website.


I served this Asian-style salad that I found on Food and Wine with our meal and also some roasted asparagus.  The dressing is slightly creamy and the toasted macadamia nuts and sesame seeds gave it a nice crunch.  The salad was supposed to include Enoki mushrooms but, since I couldn't find them, I substituted cucumber which gave the salad a nice refreshing flavor. 


The dinner was a wonderful combination of flavors! 

Shrimp Pad Thai

Serves 4

Wide Rice Noodles (found in the Asian aisle of your food store), 14-16 oz package

1 Tbs. canola oil
1 lb. (500 g) large shrimp, peeled and deveined (I used about a half pound more)
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1/2 cup Pad Thai noodle sauce, plus more, to taste (I used Annie Chun brand)
2 green onions, white and light green portions, sliced
2 carrots, peeled and julienned
1 cup (4 oz./125 g) bean sprouts

1/4 cup (1 oz./30 g) chopped unsalted roasted peanuts
Chopped cilantro leaves for garnish
Lime wedges for serving

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat.

Meanwhile, in a very large nonstick sauté pan or wok over medium-high heat, warm the oil. Add the shrimp and stir-fry until opaque throughout, 2 to 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the shrimp to a bowl.

Add a little more oil to the same pan to heat and then add the eggs, stirring occasionally, until lightly set but still soft, about 1 minute. Transfer the eggs to the plate with the shrimp. Remove the pan from the heat.

Add the rice noodles to the boiling water and cook until barely al dente, 3-4 minutes. Drain the noodles thoroughly and transfer to the pan or wok.

Place the pan over medium heat and return the shrimp and eggs to the pan. Add the noodle sauce, green onions, carrots and the bean sprouts. Cook, using tongs to lift and toss the noodles constantly, until the ingredients are well blended and heated through, about 1-2 minutes Taste and add more noodle sauce if desired, tossing to combine.

Transfer the noodles to a platter or serve right from the pan.

Pass the chopped peanuts, extra cilantro leaves and lime wedges at the table.

Mixed Asian Salad with Macadamia Nuts

Adapted from Food and Wine
Printable Recipe

SERVINGS: 6

2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger root
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce or other hot chili sauce (I used Cholula Chili Lime sauce)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup macadamia nuts (3 ounces)
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
A clam shell of organic baby mixed greens - about 1/2 to 3/4 pound
1 large cucumber, seeded and sliced

In a blender, combine the mayonnaise, rice and white wine vinegars, soy sauce, honey, ginger, sesame oil, garlic and chili sauce and process to mix. With the machine on, blend in the vegetable oil in a thin stream. Scrape the dressing into a small bowl and season with salt and pepper.

In a medium skillet, cast iron preferably, toast the macadamia nuts over moderately low heat, shaking the skillet, until the nuts are a deep golden brown, 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer the nuts to a plate to cool. Add the sesame seeds to the skillet and toast until a deep golden brown, about 3 minutes. Transfer the sesame seeds to a plate to cool. Coarsely chop the macadamia nuts and mix with the toasted sesame seeds.

In a large salad bowl, toss the baby greens with the sliced cucumbers. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well. Scatter the toasted macadamia nuts and sesame seeds all over the salad and toss briefly once more and serve.

29 comments:

  1. Both side salad and pad thai are very delicious. It's a light yet very flavourful meal, Susan.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Your first photo should be a magazine cover.
    You are such an artist on toiles and on tables.
    I like those wide rice noodles..
    The salad looks delicious too..I love that dressing..the ingredients apeal to me so much..have to make it soon..
    Thanks for these 2 dishes..Off to Pin.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. :-) Thank you, Monique! The dressing was wonderful and one I will make again. The whole meal, actually!

      Delete
  3. Pad Thai is the dish that I always judge a Thai restaurant by. I give your's five stars!!

    Best,
    Bonnie

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Maybe I should call it Savoring Thai in the Kitchen :) Thank you, Bonnie!

      Delete
  4. There's a Pad Thai Sauce? This looks delicious and insanely easy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yes, there is! The brand I found was Annie Chun. It has tamarind and lime juice in it. Great flavor! Thank you, Pattie!

      Delete
  5. Lots of nice big flavors in the salad dressing Susan, it sounds great! And somehow this whole meal reminds me of warmer weather... Not the snow storm outside right now:@)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Yum ! Looks so good. Thanks for sharing.
    Sorry your daughter has to deal with the gluten issue

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have never cooked pad thai...yours look delicious with the shrimps and yes, nicely paired with the salad...great meal! Indeed rice noodles are a great choice for the ones that are gluten intolerant...
    Hope you are having a fabulous week Susan :)

    ReplyDelete
  8. This looks delicious and easy to make ! Thanks for sharing ! A warm hug

    ReplyDelete
  9. Beautiful photos as always! Pad thai is one of my favorite dishes. I've never made it before, it's one I always eat out. Hope you're surviving this long cold winter.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I would not be able to resist this meal, even if I was gluten-intolerant. It seems like a contagious disease these days, so many people are coming out of the woodwork saying they have it, even here in Lebanon, all the bakeries now offer gluten-free flatbreads and such. Lovely images/ mouthwatering :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Simply gorgeous presentations of both dishes Susan. I had no idea wide rice noodles were gluten free. So many people are discovering they're gluten intolerant lately. Maybe we should all get tested. You never know. It might solve a lot of problems for those of us who didn't know. BTW, your shrimp are perfectly cooked and so pretty. A delicious meal fancy enough for company.
    Sam

    ReplyDelete
  12. This sounds delicious Sue! I want to try this one - I love all the ingredients! My daughter has been complaining as well - I think I will have her tested as well - thanks for sharing that important information!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Love both these dishes Susan your daughter is so lucky you are such a wonderful cook. My daughter in-law is gluten-intolerant, always looking for new recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  14. I absolutely love both of these! (I have several friends who are gluten intolerant who would love these too.) Pad Thai with shrimp is my favorite, and that salad goes with it perfectly! :)

    ReplyDelete
  15. It is funny how genetics work...I'm sure you'll be able to come up with some creative gluten-free recipes for your daughter! This pad thai looks delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  16. Hi Susan, It sounds wonderful and looks delicious but I can't eat shrimp, I'm allergic to shrimp and seafood but it's beautiful sounds great.

    ReplyDelete
  17. What a gorgeous dish and presentation Susan. This will be on our table some time soon. There are so many options for people with gluten intolerance these days Thankfully.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I want to eat at your house every night! My daughter thinks she is gluten intolerant too, I'll make this for her!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I have a nephew who has celiac disease. When he was diagnosed as a child (he's now married with a son) there was very little available and they had to be very creative. There were clubs, thank heaven, whose members kept everyone alerted re foods, places to eat out etc. Things are so much simpler for him now, with whole gluten free sections in markets, restaurant menus even tell you now.
    Your Pad Thai looks delicious and that side salad is beautiful!
    Hope your daughter sees improvement in her health quickly.
    Huckleberry is a fun book...still have a couple other things I've made...those lemon muffins for one, which I'm going to post for Easter.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Don't think I've ever seen a prettier Pad Thai. ;) Mine is less photogenic, but still delicious. Rosa (Maggie) I typically use chicken instead of shrimp. -- CindyM

    ReplyDelete
  21. Pad Thai is one of my favorite dishes, Susan. And if your daughter did inherit this, well, it seems to be the perfect time. So many things out there for folks who are gluten intolerant. Frankly, I could eat this all the time. And I could eat on THOSE dishes all the time. Love them!

    ReplyDelete
  22. What a beautiful meal, Susan. I love all those wonderful flavors and the salad is a perfect accompaniment to the pad thai. I have almost all the ingredients in my cupboard and this will be fun. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  23. What a beautiful meal, Susan. I love all those wonderful flavors and the salad is a perfect accompaniment to the pad thai. I have almost all the ingredients in my cupboard and this will be fun. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Your Pad Thai looks delicious Susan. I tried it once at home and wrote in the cookbook "best left to the professionals". :) But, I just took a Thai cooking class at Sur la Table where we made it and I'm going to try it at home very soon. It's sooooo delicious.

    ReplyDelete

I appreciate your comment!