Category Archives: Pasta and Rice

BUTERA’S CHICKEN PASTA SALAD

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I found this gorgeous bowl of seashells at an estate sale:

Although I probably would have bought the bowl by itself, the beautifully arranged shells were a wonderful bonus.  I was fascinated by them.

The bowl of shells was the inspiration for this recipe for Butera’s Chicken Pasta Salad, with its cute little pasta shells.   Butera’s Fine Foods & Delicatessen was a popular establishment in Houston back in the 1980s-90s (memory fails me).  It was always a treat to go through the line and pick from the offerings, and we especially loved Butera’s salads.  I don’t remember when it closed, only that we were sad when it did.

Apart from the memory of Butera’s, its recipe for chicken pasta salad lives on.  Apparently, shell pasta is not as popular as I remembered it to be, and I had to hunt for it at several stores.  The recipe here is modified.  The original recipe called for what I consider today to be an unconscionable amount of mayo and oil, so I halved it.  I also added chives (gotta have something green) and a dash of hot sauce.  The secret ingredient in this quirky pasta salad is nutmeg, and it definitely adds “something.”

We’ve still got quite a bit of hot weather to go here in Houston before we’re cozying up in front of the fireplace with pumpkin spice lattes, and this chicken pasta salad will keep salad fatigue from setting in.

5 from 1 reviews
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BUTERA'S CHICKEN PASTA SALAD
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Ingredients
  • 1 lb. shell pasta
  • 1-1/4 cups mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 cup pitted black olives, quartered
  • ½ lb. cooked chicken breast, diced (rotisserie is excellent)
  • Salt and pepper, to taste
  • 1-2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives (optional)
  • Dash of hot sauce (optional)
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add pasta and cook until al dente. Rinse under cool water and drain well. In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, olive oil, vinegar, and nutmeg. Place pasta, olives, and chicken in a large bowl, and stir together. Add dressing and mix well. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Stir in chives and hot sauce, if using. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  2. Note: This salad is best made a day in advance.

 

 

VERMICELLI BOWLS WITH VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK

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Who’s ready to go bowling?  Vermicelli bowls, that is.  These are going to be right up your alley.  (You didn’t think I was going to spare you bad bowling puns, did you?)

OK, let’s get the ball rolling.  Start with dried vermicelli — rice or bean thread — found in the asian aisle of most grocery stores.  This bean thread one is the one we like to use:

Use one bundle for each vermicelli bowl, and perhaps throw in an extra bundle for good measure.  Place the bundles in a large bowl and pour boiling water over them.  Allow the noodles to soak about 5 minutes until soft and pliable, while you prepare the other ingredients.  Transfer to a colander, rinse with cool water, and drain.

For the base, I like to mix together shredded romaine lettuce, red cabbage, Thai basil, and mint to keep it interesting and colorful.  For each serving, use about 1 cup romaine, 1/4 cup of red cabbage, and 1 tablespoon each coarsely chopped Thai basil and mint.  Place a heaping cup of the mix in each serving bowl:

Top with noodles:

Now comes the fun part, when you get to customize the bowls to your liking — you can top your bowls with julienned cucumbers, bean sprouts, lime slices, chopped salted peanuts, cilantro, green onion, sliced jalapeños — whatever tickles your fancy — and of course, the pickled carrots and daikon that you prepared.  And, don’t forget to add a protein!  The first time we made these we used boiled shrimp and it was surprisingly good.

Can’t imagine I’d strike out with grilled tofu or chicken, either.  But the protein that bowled us over is Vietnamese Grilled Pork (recipe follows).  We’ve made it both on the grill and broiled in the oven, and although the grilled one is the hands-down winner, the broiled one was still delicious and works fine for those who don’t have access to a grill.

Grilled on left, broiled on right

Serve your vermicelli bowls accompanied by a small bowl (about 1/4 cup per person) of Vietnamese Fish Sauce Dipping Sauce to pour over everything.

The recipe for Vietnamese Grilled Pork isn’t difficult, but does require about an hour to marinate.  If using wooden skewers, soak them in water for at least 30 minutes to help keep them from burning.  Pro tip — partially freeze the pork to make it easier to thinly slice. 

I wasn’t familiar with sweet or thick soy sauce, but I was happy to find it in the asian aisle at the grocery store.  It’s thick, like molasses, and sweet, and it’s worth seeking out:

Strike while the grill is hot, get that pork marinating, and get ready to enjoy a delicious vermicelli bowl.

5 from 1 reviews
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VIETNAMESE GRILLED PORK
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Ingredients
  • 1 large shallot, minced
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce (preferably Three Crabs brand)
  • 3 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 1 tablespoon freshly-ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon sweet soy sauce (also called thick soy sauce)
  • 1 pound pork tenderloin
Instructions
  1. Mix together all ingredients except pork in a large bowl. Slice pork into thin slices (easiest if partially frozen) and add to marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour. Meanwhile, if using wooden skewers, soak in warm water for at least 30 minutes.
  2. Preheat grill or broiler. Skewer the pork, and grill or broil until pork is cooked through and marinade has caramelized and is a deep brown color.

 

Skewered and ready for the grill

Grilled and ready to go bowling