Table Talk
Vietnamese Noodle Bowls
Here in Denver, we have been enjoying unseasonably warm weather. Though January tends to be quite cold, this year we had weeks that were in the 60's and 70's. Now that it's February, things haven't really changed. I'm on the trail in tank tops; I see new grass growing amidst the brown; and instead of craving chili and other soups, I'm craving the things that I usually crave in the spring or summer. One of those is rice noodle bowls. I'm not sure why I associate this dish with the summer--perhaps because it isn't served hot and has a wonderful, fresh taste. It's full of julienne cut fresh vegetables (carrot, radish, cucumber) and fresh herbs, including mint, and cilantro. I served mine with Vietnamese meatballs but have done them with large marinated shrimp, as well. I use rice noodles, but you can easily use angel hair pasta, if that's what you have on hand. Toss it all with a little dressing made up of Asian fish sauce, sugar, lime, garlic and rice vineger, add sliced serrano peppers, and you have dinner. With some crunchy spring rolls, it's a perfect meal to enjoy our early taste of spring. You can easily replicate this tasty dish
