Genevieve took one look at the spring rolls I slapped together and called them cocoons. Obviously, because she has been watching the fat green caterpillars in our parsley, waiting and waiting for them to make a cocoon. We've been sacrificing our parsley for a month now to what we hope are monarch caterpillars, but we have yet to see a cocoon.
Supper: spring rolls filled with roast turkey, bean thread noodles, shredded carrot, cucumber, and Thai basil. . . .dipped in hoisin sauce. . .with soy-glazed sweet potatoes on the side
Soy-Glazed Sweet Potatoes (recipe from Rebecca)
In a baking pan with sides, large enough to hold the potatoes in a single layer, place:
3 large sweet potatoes, chopped
Mix together:
1 Tbs. sesame oil
2 Tbs. brown sugar
2 Tbs. mirin or sweet sherry
2 Tbs. minced garlic
3 Tbs. soy sauce
1/4 c. water
Pour over the sweet potatoes. Cover. Bake at 400 until nearly done - approximately 30 -40 minutes. At some point, put a handful of sesame seeds on a tray and pop them in the oven to toast (10ish minutes). Remove the lid and stir and baste the sweet potatoes. Return, uncovered, to the oven for 10-15 minutes.
Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot or at room temperature.
Finally something I'm a bit of an expert on -- cocoons!! The caterpillars that live on parsley are (eventual) swallowtails. Monarchs are found exclusively on milkweed. Anyway, while monarch cocoons are a gorgeous bright green with golden accents, swallowtails have crusty, brown ones with little horns that attach sideways instead of dangling delicately. We hatched one on our kitchen counter recently. A special thank you to my parents for the years of bug boxes and caterpillar collecting(!)
ReplyDeletesounds like a yummy dinner. I may try that sweet potato recipe. It sounds very good!
ReplyDeleteI love the expressions on her sweet face. And that Rebecca...so clever.
ReplyDeleteJanelle, thanks for the info. I'll be looking for swallowtail cocoons now - but I'm afraid it's getting a bit cold for them.
ReplyDeleteOk, and not a Word about that picture of little Gen. glowering at the camera?! Hilarious!
ReplyDelete