April 6, 2016 Lunch – Vietnam 2000, Dinner - Pasta Primavera with Chorizo Meatballs

April 6, 2016 Lunch – Vietnam 2000, Dinner - Pasta Primavera with Chorizo Meatballs

Willy and I decided to go eat Vietnamese food for lunch.  Willy was a little pressed for time and since I needed to shop for food, I decided we should go to Vietnam 2000 at the corner of San Mateo and Lead/coal/Zuni.  What a fortuitous decision.  We ordered two No. 21s, our usual with two fried egg rolls and grilled pork on a bed of boiled rice vermicelli noodles, layered on top of chopped lettuce, basil, and cilantro,  mung bean sprouts, and sliced cucumbers, served with a sweetened fish sauce to which shredded fresh daikon and carrots and a pinch of chili is added.  Even though we have eaten this dish at this restaurant dozens of times over many years, inexplicably, today’s prep was the best ever.  I think it was because the pork was charred and the flavor of the fish sauce with the charred pork was a richer more primeval taste, but we both looked at each other in disbelief, it was so good.  In fact it was so satisfying, that I only ate ½ of my lunch and boxed the rest for a snack later.

After lunch we drove to Sprouts at San Mateo and Lomas and Willy read in the car while I shopped.  I had a great day of shopping all the items I selected were on discount and wonderfully fresh.  That often happens in the Spring and I love it.  I started at the butcher counter, buying thee filets of Rockfish for $5.99/lb. I then went to the vegetable section and selected Roma tomatoes, zucchini at $.99/lb., an eggplant for $.88, for ratatouille possibly.  Then I bought strawberries on sale for $1.50 for a quart box and finally double dipped chocolate covered peanuts, my new favorite candy for $2.99/lb.  Since Willy has become fond of nigiri sushi rolled in fried onion, I bought a container of fried onions on close out for $3.99 and a liter bottle of Sprouts private label extra virgin olive oil from Spain, which is my current favorite olive oil for $7.99.  

For dinner Suzette wanted to make a dish using the PPI Chorizo meatballs that Chef Kelly had made for last Thursday’s Wine Party.  She decided to use the fresh zucchini and tomatoes to make a pasta primavera and add the meatballs.  I sliced zucchini, Roma tomatoes, ½ of an onion and parsley from the garden.  Suzette boiled ½ lb. of Italian Spaghetti and Sautéed the vegetables in olive oil and tossed them with the spaghetti for a simple, delicious meal.  I fetched and opened a magnum of Patch

 Block pinot noir (a George DuBoeuf wine from France that I found on close out at Quarters on Yale for $5.00 for a 1.5 liter magnum bottle).

  The PPI Pasta Primavera

Willy toasted slices of Fano baguette, which he ate with the meal.  After dinner I fetched cheeses and we ate Delice, herbed goat cheese and blue cheese spread on toast and washed down with pinot noir. 

We ate a few double dipped chocolate covered peanuts before and after dinner.

I also cubed two pork tenderloins and Suzette made a marinade for them in a gallon freezer bag in preparation of pork confit.

Here is the recipe for the Pork Confit:

   

Bon Appetit