Welcome to the Whimsical yet Wise World of Auma Gosh!

<%@LANGUAGE="VBSCRIPT" CODEPAGE="1252"%> Welcome to the Whimsical yet Wise World of Auma Gosh!

Let’s all join forces to make our new 2010 goal to “get green, go local” and support one another in our efforts. I hope that we can share our knowledge of what to eat, when it’s available locally and how to grow it and then cook it. After many years of growing my own and interacting with the people who support farmers markets, I am happy to share what I have learned personally and from them. I have always collected recipes from great grandmothers’ relishes to new creations and handy tips. People are eager to pass them on and so am I. I hope to make this a seasonally timely site that you can return to many times for information and inspiration. My new motto is “You Can Do This, Yes You Can!” Let’s do it together…

THAI STYLE ASPARAGUS AND CRAB SALAD

SALAD:

1 ½ lbs. asparagus (about 30 medium-think spears), trimmed and cut into 1 ½ inch lengths.
1 package (3.75 oz.) bean threads or rice (cellophane) noodles
(found in the Asian section)
1 lb. crabmeat, picked over: you can used real canned crab meat or buy the cooked, shelled crab and pick it yourself or imitation crab would work too, if you’re on a budget.
1 carrot, grated
2 scallions, white and tender green parts, trimmed and chopped
4 c. arugula leaves or watercress
4 c. mesclun (spicy mix greens) or baby lettuce leaves
½ c. cilantro leaves (wash and picked from stems)
½ c. mint leaves (washed and picked from stems)
1/3 c. chopped peanuts, toasted

DRESSING:
¾ c. fresh lime juice (approx 6 limes)
½ c. fish sauce (found in the Asian section)
1/3 c. sugar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1-2 jalapeño chiles, minced
1 T. ginger, peeled and minced
Freshly ground pepper, to taste

Combine the lime juice, fish sauce and sugar in a medium bowl, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Mix in the garlic, chile, ginger and pepper to taste.

PREPARATION:
Steam the asparagus over boiling water until tender (4-5 minutes). Drain and plunge into cold water to stop the cooking and drain again. Cover the noodles in very hot tap water for about 5 minutes and then drain them. Pour about ½ c. of the dressing over the noodles, toss to mix and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the crab meat, carrot and scallions. Add about ½ c. of the dressing and toss to mix. Set aside to allow the flavors to blend, at least 15 minutes or longer, in the refrigerator. Just before serving, toss the arugula, mesclun, cilantro and mint in a large bowl. Add a few tablespoons of the remaining dressing and toss to mix. Add more dressing if desired. To serve, line a platter or individual plates with the greens mix, top with the noodles, then the crab mix and finally the asparagus. Sprinkle on the peanuts and serve, passing the remaining dressing at the table.

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