Fear can be a good thing, and from a mother’s view, life saving. Fearlessness is fantastic.
With no hope of going back last night, I made a chili, fried mint and lime noodle with pan roasted corn. I seared a halved clove of garlic in olive oil, added a handful of mint leaves, and let them heat up to a dark and crispy green. I removed that from the pan. I cut a shallot in half, added a little olive oil, and then tossed in the kernels from left over corn on the cob, and sea salt and let it heat up until it was just caramelizing around the edges. In another pot, I threw long and skinny noodles into boiling, salted water. In a little mortar and pestle I smashed 2 tablespoons of parsley leaves with about 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1 clove of garlic, an inch of ginger and salt until it was a smoothish paste. In another little bowl I mixed 1 teaspoon of chile garlic sauce with the juice from half of a large lime and a pinch of sugar. I sliced eight fresh chives into one inch batons. When the pasta was done I drained it, and tossed everything together.
Poached shrimp is perfect with this, with a side of so, so simple guacamole, just smashed avocado, a little minced garlic, salt and lime.
Every once in a while you just have to take a maybe, should I, could I, to a YES and go alllllll the way.