THAI GREEN PAPAYA SALAD

For the salad:
1/2 green papaya
3 long beans, cut on the bias into 2-inch lengths
2 scallions, white parts only, sliced very thinly
1 bird's eye or Thai chili, some seeds removed, sliced very thinly
10 cherry tomatoes, halved (optional)
2 Tbsp. salted peanuts, coarsely chopped

For the dressing:
2 Tbsp. Thai fish sauce
2 Tbsp. lime juice
1 Tbsp. palm sugar or golden brown sugar

Cut off a thin slice at one end of the papaya, and stand it upright, cut side down, on a cutting board. Using a thin, sharp knife and following the curve of the papaya, cut away its skin. Cut the papaya in half lengthwise, and scoop out and discard the seeds. Set aside one half of the papaya for later use. Using a julienne peeler, shave the second half into long, thin strips. Put the prepared papaya in a serving bowl. Add the long beans, scallions, chili, and tomatoes, if using, and toss to mix.

In a small bowl, whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice, and sugar. Toss with the papaya mixture to taste. Top with peanuts.

Note: This salad can be assembled and dressed up to 1 hour ahead of time. Chill until ready to serve.

Yield: 4 servings (as a side dish or first course)

LARB GAI

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs (or ground chicken, if you can get decent ground dark-meat chicken, like at a butcher shop or Whole Foods)
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallots
2 tablespoons sliced scallions
2 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons lime juice from 1 to 2 limes
1 teaspoon crushed red chile flakes
2 to 3 tablespoons toasted rice powder (see recipe below)
cabbage leaves

1. If you're using chicken thighs, place them in a food processor and pulse them until well ground but not quite paste, about ten one-second pulses.

2. Heat a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add the ground chicken, shallots, scallions, red pepper flakes, fish sauce, and lime juice. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is cooked through.

3. Turn the larb out into a bowl and cool for at least ten minutes. Stir in rice powder and additional lime juice to taste. Serve with cabbage leaves for wrapping.

Yield: 3 to 4 servings

TOASTED RICE POWDER
Makes about 3 tablespoons

Place a dry skillet (not nonstick) over medium heat. Add 1/4 cup Thai white sticky rice (preferred) or jasmine rice. Toast the rice, stirring and shaking the pan occasionally, until the rice is golden-brown and smoking slightly, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool to room temperature and grind to a very fine powder in a spice grinder or coffee grinder (you can also use a heavy-duty mortar and pestle).

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ROSEMARY LEMONADE
Adapted from Ciao Thyme Catering

For rosemary syrup:
2 cups water
1 cup granulated sugar
Leaves from 6 (6-inch) sprigs fresh rosemary, stems discarded

To assemble:
1 batch rosemary syrup (about 1.5 cups)
1 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups ice cubes
4 cups sparkling water, plus more to taste
Vodka (optional)

To make syrup:

In a medium saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Boil for 10 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in rosemary leaves, and set aside, covered, for exactly 10 minutes. Strain syrup through a sieve into a measuring cup or small bowl, discarding leaves. Cool to room temperature before using. (Note: Syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for a long time.)

To assemble:

Stir together all ingredients in a large pitcher. Taste; add more sparkling water, if needed, or mix with vodka to taste. Pour into glasses filled with ice.

Yield: about 2 quarts

MATTHEW'S EGG CREAM

3 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1/2 cup seltzer or club soda

Stir together the milk and chocolate syrup in a tall, chilled glass until well combined. Slowly pour in the seltzer, stirring vigorously in a circle, until a creamy foam fills the glass. Drink with a straw.

Yield: 1 serving

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HOW TO POACH AN EGG

1. Fill a large skillet about two-thirds full with water, to a depth of about 2 inches. Add a tablespoon of white vinegar. Bring the water to a bare simmer over medium-high heat. There should be plenty of little bubbles along the bottom of the pan, and the surface of the water should be barely trembling. When in doubt, err on the side of hotter water.

2. Crack an egg into a teacup or a small custard cup. Holding the cup upright, lower the base into the water, and then, slowly and gently, twist your wrist to turn the egg out into the water. You're essentially twisting the mug out from under the egg. Don't hold the mug in the water for too long, or the egg will cook to the inside of the mug.

3. Disturb the water as little as possible, and allow the first egg to settle a bit before adding a second one. Depending on the size of your skillet, you could probably poach up to three eggs at a time.

4. Cook each egg for 3 to 4 minutes, until the white is opaque from the edges right up to the yolk. You can also gauge doneness by lifting the egg in a slotted spoon and gently prodding it with your finger: the white should feel firm and set, but the yolk should still jiggle. If the egg sticks at all to the bottom of the skillet—that happens sometimes—use a spoon or spatula to gently release the egg from the bottom of the pan.

5. Serve.

NOTES

If you need to poach a lot of eggs and can't do it all at once: While you're heating the water in the skillet, fill a large bowl with very warm (but not boiling) water. As the eggs finish cooking, drop them into the bowl. They'll stay warm while you cook the rest.

You can also poach eggs ahead of time and rewarm them just before serving. Instead of preparing a bowl of warm water, prepare a bowl of ice water. Cook the eggs a little less than you normally would, and drop them into the bowl. Just before serving, rewarm them in simmering water.

If your eggs are not so fresh, there will an loose outer layer of egg white surrounding a thick inner layer that gathers around the yolk. Strain off the outer layer before poaching by cracking the egg into a tea straining and straining it briefly. Hat tip to Cook's Illustrated.

SLIGHTLY SIMPLIFIED OEUFS EN MEURETTE
Adapted from Taste: One Palate's Journey Through the World's Greatest Dishes, by David Rosengarten

For the croûtes:
Butter
4 slices of French bread, crusts removed, sliced 1/3 inch thick

For the sauce:
3 Tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
2 Tbsp. chopped bacon
6 Tbsp. chopped shallot
1 tsp. chopped garlic
2 cups very young Beaujolais (or another fruity red wine)
1 bay leaf
1/2 cup chicken stock

1 to 2 eggs per person, poached

1. Butter the bread on both sides. Warm a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the bread until golden brown on the first side. Flip the bread, and cook until golden brown on the second side. Transfer to two serving plates.

2. To make the sauce, put 1 Tbsp. butter in a heavy sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the chopped bacon, shallot, and garlic, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots just start to turn brown. Turn the heat to high, and add the Beaujolais and the bay leaf. Boil until the wine is reduced by about half. Add the chicken stock, and bring the mixture back to a boil for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons cold butter.

Put the poached eggs on top of the toasts, and then pour the sauce over them. Serve immediately.

Yield: 2 servings

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