Cookoff 2.0 #18- Lemongrass

[flowerchick]

Cookoff 2.0 #1 - Heat Infusion - Parrothead
Cookoff 2.0 #2 - Tomatoes - Unknown Foodie
Cookoff 2.0 #3 - Butternut Squash - Jackiecat
Cookoff 2.0 #4 - Fennel - Nolafoodie
Cookoff 2.0 #5 - Grains of Paradise - PattyE
Cookoff 2.0 #6 - Eggplant - Geimerst
Cookoff 2.0 #7 - Soup - Pixie
Cookoff 2.0 #8 - Ribs - Dan
Cookoff 2.0 #9 - Citrus fruit - Moonablaze
Cookoff 2.0 #10 - Clams - Thierry
Cookoff 2.0 #11 - Ground Beef - Parrothead
Cookoff 2.0 #12 - Olives - Grovite
Cookoff 2.0 #13 - Slaw - Nolafoodie
Cookoff 2.0 #14 - Peppercorns - Grovite
Cookoff 2.0 #15 - Yogurt - Eye4got
Cookoff 2.0 #16 - Summer Squash - Nolafoodie
Cookoff 2.0 #17 - Collards - ajkdvm
Cookoff 2.0 #18 - Lemongrass - Fleur

Im cranky today.
I went back to the Costco to buy some Martha Stewart/Kirkland brand pork/lemongrass/habenero meatballs, and they dont stock them anymore.

So I stopped by the Asian market and bought some lemongrass, thinking Id make my own. Which I will, but until then what else can you do with it? I LOVE how it smells and tastes!

Bring on your lemongrass recipes!

[gypsy]

Lemongrass also makes a very sensual perfume.

[eye4got]

Fresh Lemongrass Ginger Ale
based on a recipe by Jean-Georges Vongerichten
(The original recipe contains no alcohol)

Makes about 1 quart - for 10 glasses

1.5 pounds fresh ginger, cut into thin strips (don't bother peeling, though you may want to scrub off any dirt)
3 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves discarded and bottoms roughly chopped into 1/2" sections
2 chile peppers (optional)
1 3/4 cups sugar
1 1/4 quarts water
soda water
gin (optional)
lime wedges

Place the ginger, lemongrass and (optional) chiles into a food processor and process until it becomes a thick puree. You'll need to stop the unit several times to scrape down the sides with a spatula.

Move the puree to a saucepan. Add the water and sugar.

Bring to a boil over high heat, then immediately turn heat to medium-low and simmer for 15 minutes, uncovered.

Strain through a couple layers of cheesecloth. Chill in the 'fridge for as long as you can stand to wait.

To serve, fill a tall glass with ice. Add 2 oz. (or more to taste) of syrup, top with soda water and/or gin.

Squeeze in a lime wedge.

This is an excellent beverage for sipping while laying outside in a hammock on a nice, Summer day.

[Butterbean]

Butter Jr. made this a few months ago; I think it would be good with a pork tenderloin as well.

Vietnamese Pork Chops

2 large cloves garlic, minced
2 Tb brown sugar
1 Tp coarsely ground pepper
2 stalks lemongrass (white part only) sliced thin
2 Tb fish sauce (nuoc maam)
1 Tp dark sesame oil
1 Tb rice wine
4 pork chops (your choice, 1/2” thick)
cilantro or culantro for garnish

In a small bowl, mash garlic with brown sugar & pepper. Add next 4 ingredients & mix well. Add chops to marinade & chill for 3-6 hours. Remove chops from marinade, pat dry & allow to come to room temperture. Grill or broil 5 minutes per side. Serve with cilantro garnish.

[ajkdvm]

Lemongrass-ginger sorbet

3 cups water
3/4 cup sugar
3-4 stalks lemongrass, outer leaves stripped and root end cut off
2-3 fingers of young ginger, thinly sliced (don't bother peeling it)
hefty shot of vodka
mint leaves for garnish

Heat water and sugar until sugar has melted, then bring to a boil.

In the meantime, hold a large heavy chef's knife by the blade (with the spine facing your fingers!) and use the handle to whack the hell out of the white part of the lemongrass until it is well bruised all over.

Finely chop the lemongrass and add it and the ginger to the boiling syrup. Simmer for 10 minutes, cover, and allow to steep off heat up to 2 hours. Strain and chill. Add vodka just before freezing in an ice cream churn.

Serve garnished with teensy mint leaves.

[Pixietoes]

This recipe isn't one of mine, in fact I got it straight off Recipezaar for a Thai dinner last year, but it is delicious:

Vietnamese Lemongrass Shrimp Salad with Vermicelli - Bun Tom Xao Recipe #30258

A warm weather favorite in Vietnamese restaurants. Very cooling!
by Sue L
40 min | 15 min prep

SERVES 2

For the Shrimp

6 ounces shrimp, cleaned and deveined
2 stalks lemongrass
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
2 cups onions, cut into slivers
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 teaspoon sugar
For the Salad

2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
1/2 cup cilantro, sprigs
1/2 cup basil sprig
4 tablespoons chopped peanuts
8 ounces rice vermicelli
1-1 1/2 cup nuoc nam (Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Spicy Fish Sauce))
Bring water to a boil in a large pot; stir in vermicelli.
Cook until just tender and drain in colander.
Flatten lemongrass with cleaver and mince white part; discard rest.
Heat oil in wok; add garlic, lemongrass, and red pepper flakes.
Cook until lemongrass is slightly wilted.
Add onions and stir-fry until onions are tender.
Mix fish sauce with sugar and add to wok with shrimp; stir-fry 3-4 minutes more or until shrimp is cooked.
For each salad place 1 cup of lettuce in bottom of bowl.
Top with 3/4 cup of bean sprouts.
Place half the cooked noodles over vegetables in bowl.
Top noodles with lemongrass shrimp and onions.
Garnish with peanuts.
Serve with a plate of cilantro sprigs and basil sprigs.
Also serve a bowl of Nuoc Mam, recipe#25375, about 1/2-3/4 cup per salad.
Place"Tuong Ot Sriracha" (Viet hot sauce) or sambal oeleck on the table as condiments.

[zoomzoom]

[b]LEMON-GRASS PARTY

Buy three (3) fresh ripe lemons.

Roll medium sized joint.

Place lemon slices in pitcher with plenty of ice.

Add your favorite vodka to pitcher. (I like Grey Goose)

Smoke and drink until giant pink armadillo appears in living room.

Turn off all lights and go directly to bed.

After you fire the shotgun some will call the police.

[Chef Mongo]

Zoomy's been peeking at my party files again!

[flowerchick]

Zoomy wins the silliness award.

ajkdvm's sorbet, though I didnt get to make it, sounds divine.

Have at it chick.

[ajkdvm]

Woohoo! Sorry it took me so long to reply to this - dealing with crazies at work is draining.

New cookoff topic to follow...