Vietnamese Hot and Sour Soup

Ingredients
6 scallions, cut into 2-inch strips
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 medium carrots, shaved thin
2 cups bean sprouts
2 chili peppers, sliced thin with seeds
10oz canned, strained straw mushrooms
19oz canned pineapple pieces
7 cups vegetable broth
1/2 block herb and garlic tofu, cubed small
1/4 cup asian fish sauce
2 Tbsp lime juice
1 Tbsp cilantro
2 Tbsp basil

Directions
1. In a large soup pot, sautee scallions in oil at low heat until soft.
2. Add carrot shavings, turn heat to medium-high.
3. As carrots soften, add bean sprouts and chilis. Mix well.
4. Stir in broth, mushrooms, pineapple pieces (with juice) and tofu cubes. Bring pot to a boil.
5. Reduce heat to a simmer and add fish sauce, lime juice, cilantro and basil.
6. Allow to simmer covered for 15 minutes.

Aioli/Garlic Mayonnaise

You know that garlic mayonnaise that we all love from Bustan?

Welllllll make it yourself!!

• 3 cloves garlic
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 tbsp fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp salt

Preparation:

Crush the garlic cloves with the flat of a knife, and remove the skin. Then mince the garlic very fine. Add a pinch of salt, and using the flat of the knife again, scrap and press the garlic against the cutting surface to make a very smooth paste. It's making this paste from the fresh garlic that gives aioli its intense garlic flavor.

Add the garlic to a small bowl, and whisk together with the rest of the ingredients. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to develop. Serve cold.

trout with mango, jalapeno, and cilantro salsa

I found this one on-line when someone gave me three fresh trout (quite the gift) and I had no idea what to do with them. I'm not very good at being consistent with quantities in recipes, so I've just listed the ingredients for the salsa - add as much or as little of each as you like.

fresh or frozen trout (gutted, but with bones in)
salsa: diced fresh mango
fresh chopped cilantro
chopped red bell pepper
diced jalapenos
red onion
garlic
rock salt, pepper
honey
olive oil

Stuff the salsa inside the fish and throw it into the oven (covered with foil, around 400 F) for around 20 min, or until the fish is light pink and the skin flakes off.