Grilled Pork And Noodle Salad With Basil Cilantro And Mint Recipes

GRILLED PORK NOODLE SALAD

Steps:

• In a large shallow dish, combine jalapeno, lime juice, fish sauce and brown sugar. Add pork; turn to coat. Refrigerate, covered, 3 hours or overnight., Drain pork, discarding marinade. On a lightly oiled grill rack, grill pork, covered, over medium heat 1-2 minutes on each side or until a thermometer reads 145°., Cook rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and rinse in cold water; drain well. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients. Divide rice noodles among 6 serving bowls. Arrange vegetables, pork and herbs over noodles; drizzle with dressing and toss to combine.

VIETNAMESE NOODLE SALAD WITH PORK

Steps:

• for the pork: Place pork tenderloin in freezer to chill for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and cut crosswise into very thin slices, about 1/8" thick. Then cut each slice in half lengthwise. Place pork pieces in a wide shallow bowl or large zip-top baggie.
• In a small bowl, stir together sugar, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, soy sauce, black pepper, salt, and garlic. Pour mixture over pork pieces and fold several times to ensure the marinade is thoroughly mixed in with the pork. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce and noodles.
• for the sauce: In a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat, stir together all sauce ingredients. Once sugar and salt have dissolved, remove from heat to cool to room temperature.
• for the noodle salad: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add rice noodles, stir, and turn off heat. Let noodles soften according to the package directions, then drain and rinse in cold water in a colander. Shake very well to remove water and leave sit in colander at room temperature.
• Divide noodles amongst four low wide bowls or plates. Top each with lettuce, carrots, cucumber, bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, and lime.
• Remove pork from refrigerator. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high to high heat. When hot, add remaining 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil and swirl around the bottom of the skillet. When oil is shimmering, carefully add pork. Separate pork pieces to cover bottom of skillet. Let pork sit without stirring for about 1 minute, to caramelize. Fold and repeat until pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Total cook time will depend on how thin the pork is cut, etc.
• Divide hot pork amongst each of the four bowls. Serve with sauce to pour over individual bowls.

TANGY PORK NOODLE SALAD WITH LIME AND LOTS OF HERBS

Steps:

• In a small bowl, whisk together lime zest and juice, orange juice, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, honey and a small pinch of salt. Pour half of the mixture into a large bowl and whisk in 3 tablespoons grapeseed oil and the shallots. Set both mixtures aside.
• Cook noodles in salted water and according to package directions. Rinse under running water to remove any excess starch, then drain well and add to bowl with shallots, tossing well. Set aside while preparing remaining ingredients.
• Heat remaining 1 tablespoon grapeseed oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic, ginger and chile, and cook until lightly golden and aromatic, about 1 minute. Add pork and stir, breaking up pieces with a wooden spoon. Cook without stirring too often, until browned, about 8 minutes. Pour in lime juice mixture from the small bowl. Simmer gently until most of the liquid is evaporated, stirring to coat pork in the glaze, another 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly.
• Add pork, cucumbers, scallions, cherry tomatoes, bean sprouts and herbs to the noodles and toss well to combine. Taste and add more fish sauce, lime juice or both. Just before serving, toss in lettuce, and serve sprinkled with red-pepper flakes with lime wedges on the side.

VIETNAMESE-STYLE PORK CHOPS WITH FRESH HERB SALAD

Steps:

• Blend shallot, garlic, brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, oil, and pepper in a blender. Transfer marinade to a large resealable plastic bag. Add pork chop and turn to coat. Seal bag, pressing out air; chill at least 1 hour and up to 12 hours.
• Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. (Alternatively, heat a grill pan over medium-high.) Remove pork chops from marinade, letting excess drip back into bag; season both sides with salt. Grill pork chops, turning once, until lightly charred, about 2 minutes per side.
• Meanwhile, toss plums, scallions, chile, herbs, bean sprouts, and vinegar in a large bowl. Season with salt; toss again.
• Serve pork with salad and lime wedges.

CILANTRO PORK TENDERLOIN

Steps:

• In a large resealable plastic bag, combine the first seven ingredients; add pork. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate overnight. , Drain and discard marinade. Prepare grill for indirect heat. Grill, covered, over indirect medium-hot heat, for 20-27 minutes or until a thermometer reads 145°. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

VIETNAMESE NOODLE SALAD WITH GRILLED PORK

Steps:

• Cook the noodles: Bring a medium potful of water to a rolling boil. Add the rice vermicelli and, stirring often, cook them until the strands are soft and white, but still resilient, 3 to 5 minutes. Don't be tempted to undercook them, as they must be fully cooked to absorb the flavors of the dish. Rinse them in a colander under cold water just until they're cool and the water runs clear. Let the noodles drain in the colander for 30 minutes, and then set them aside for up to 2 hours, unrefrigerated.
• Marinate and cook the pork: Combine the sugar with 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir a few times and allow to simmer until the sauce turns deep brown, about 15 minutes. Meanwhile, have some extra hot water ready on a back burner. Once the sauce reaches the desired color, carefully add 4 to 5 Tbs. hot water to slow the cooking and thin the sauce. (Be sure to hold the pan away from you so that none of the hot caramel splatters on you when you add the water.) If necessary, add more hot water. The sauce should only be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set aside to cool.
• Pound the shallots in a mortar and pestle or mince by hand. Transfer the shallots to a mixing bowl and combine with the fish sauce, soy sauce, salt, vegetable oil, and cooled caramel marinade. Stir well to blend. Add the pork slices and let marinate for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat a broiler or light a charcoal or gas grill. When the broiler or fire is very hot, cook the pork until just done, about 2 minutes on each side. Let the pork rest for 10 to 15 minutes, and cut into thin strips.
• Assemble the salads: Divide the lettuce, bean sprouts, cucumber, mint, and basil among four large soup or pasta bowls. Fluff the noodles with your fingers and divide them among the prepared salad bowls. Put the grilled pork on the noodles and garnish each bowl with the peanuts and cilantro. Pass the nuoc cham at the table; each diner should drizzle about 3 tablespoons over the salad and then toss the salad in the bowl a few times with two forks or chopsticks before eating.
• Nuoc Cham: In a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic and fresh chiles to a paste. (Or mince them together with a knife.) In a small bowl, combine this garlic and chile mixture with the chile paste, hot water and sugar. Stir well. Add the fish sauce and lime juice (start off with 1 1/2 tablespoons) and combine. Float the carrots on top. Let sit for at least 15 minutes before using.

SPICY THAI PORK TENDERLOIN SALAD

Steps:

• Pat pork dry with paper towel. In a bowl, combine shallot, cilantro, 2 tablespoons of the sugar, garlic, soy sauce, peanut or grapeseed oil, lime zest and juice, ginger, fish sauce, salt and chile. Pour a quarter of the mixture into a blender, add remaining sugar and purée until a smooth, loose paste forms. (Save the unblended mixture to use as dressing.)
• Place tenderloin in a large bowl and spread the paste all over pork. Marinate at room temperature for 2 hours, or cover and refrigerate up to 24 hours; turn the tenderloin occasionally.
• Light the grill or heat the broiler and arrange a rack at least 4 inches from the heat. Grill or broil pork, turning occasionally, until well browned and meat reaches an internal temperature of 135 degrees, 4 to 10 minutes per side depending upon the heat of your broiler or grill. Keep an eye on it so it doesn't overcook. Let meat rest while you prepare the salad. (Or, cook the pork 1 or 2 hours ahead and serve it at room temperature.)
• In a large bowl, combine the salad ingredients, reserving the herbs, cashews and coconut. Whisk the dressing and use just enough to dress the salad, tossing to combine. Let sit for a few minutes for the flavors to meld, then right before serving, add herbs and toss again.
• To serve, slice the pork. Arrange salad on a platter and top with sliced pork. Scatter cashews and coconut on top, drizzle with a little more of the remaining dressing, to taste.