Whenever Cedric comes by my apartment, he naturally gravitates up to the roof.  Whether it’s for the launch of World to Table, to stargaze with his NASA-grade telescope, or to throw his own French techno and champagne-fueled birthday party.  Besides his long list of culinary accomplishments, which includes serving as the private chef to the Prime Minister of France and heading the kitchen at the Peacock Alley in the Waldorf=Astoria, Cedric also loves to travel.  His passport is filled with stamps from Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Hong Kong; he is no stranger to Asian flavors and ingredients.

On our trip to Vietnam in 2005, we made sure to try as much of the local food as possible.  Aside from the more conventional offerings, we had coffee, freshly brewed on a boat, made with the deliciously muddy waters of the Mekong River Delta and roasted rat served to us on a river cruise, which another chef tricked us into believing was a “really small baby pig”.

So, when a box filled with jars of WorldFoods sauce arrived at my doorstep, I pulled out the tabletop grills, set up the tables upstairs and gave Cedric a call.  A rooftop cooking session was in order.

A signature Cedric look — tending to the grill with ear buds slung around his neck and a cold beer in hand.

Beginning in the kitchen, we prepped all the ingredients, which included a few lavender-hued fairy eggplants freshly plucked from the rooftop garden.  The rest of the ingredients were bought at either Costco or KeyFoods.

We opened the box and lo and behold, safely nestled within bubble wrap were three bottles of sauce: Creamy Chili Kaffir Lime Stir-Fry Sauce, Malaysian Rendang Curry Ready to Pour Sauce, and Thai Ginger Lemongrass Stir-Fry Sauce.

Cedric first grilled the different components of the dishes.  The green beans (or haricot vert, as Cedric refers to them), eggplant, and tofu sizzled in a mixture of canola oil and minced garlic.  Since we were cooking outdoors, skewing the chicken helps to make it easier to flip on the grill.  If you are cooking indoors, simply pan fry the chicken tenders.

When they’re halfway done, sprinkle on salt and pepper.

After our afternoon of grilling and chilling came to a close, my friends Claire and Ellen came over later that night.  Together we successfully polished off the leftovers.

The aftermath.

For the vegetable-inclined, this recipe just requires stir-frying the vegetables, then placing them a ladle-full of Thai Ginger Lemongrass Sauce.  The tangy sauce is enhanced by the aromatic lemongrass and ginger undertones.

Vegetarian Thai Ginger Lemongrass Tofu Stir-Fry

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
3/4 bottle of WorldFoods Thai Ginger Lemongrass Stir-Fry Sauce
1 garlic clove, chopped
2 teaspoons of Canola oil
1/2 block of medium firm tofu, cut into 1/2″ small rectangles
1 medium Japanese eggplant, cut into 1/2″ slices
1/2 pound of blanched green beans (cooked in salted boiling water for 2 minutes, shocked in cold water then padded dry)
2 Tablespoons of crushed croutons
2 sliced scallions

Method:
1. Heat up 9 ounces of WorldFoods Thai Ginger Lemongras Stir-Fry Sauce and keep warm
2. In a non-stick pan, add garlic and canola oil and cook for 20 seconds
3. Lightly caramelize both sides of the eggplant and tofu, season with salt and pepper and set aside
4. Saute green beans for 2 minutes with garlic, oil, salt and pepper
5. In a bowl, pour the WorldFoods Thai Ginger Lemongrass Stir-Fry Sauce equally in the botom of each bowl
6. Add the green beans, then the tofu and eggplant topped with the scallions, cilantro and crushed croutons

My personal favorite, the Malaysian Rendang Pita Sandwich, a combination of crunchy lettuce, scallions, and crushed cashews, all enveloped in a soft pita, explodes with flavor thanks to the Malaysian Rendang Curry sauce.  Although it’s categorized as a curry, this sauce has a more robust flavor that I wouldn’t exactly place under the curry category.

Malaysian Chicken Rendang Pita Sandwich

Makes approximately 40 skewers

Ingredients:
1/2 bottle of WorldFoods Malaysian Rendang Curry Ready to Pour Sauce
12 chicken tenders
6 pitas, halved
2 sliced scallions
1/4 bunch of cilantro
12 leaves of lettuce
2 Tablespoons of crushed cashew nuts
Salt and pepper
12 toothpicks

Method:
1. Marinate chicken tenders with 1/3 of WorldFoods Malaysian Rendang Curry Ready to Pour Sauce and season with salt and pepper
2. Heat 2/3 of WorldFoods Malaysian Rendang Curry Ready to Pour Sauce in a separate pan
3. Cook the chicken tenders on the griddle of non-stick pan over medium to high heat
4. Place cooked chicken on a piece of lettuce leaf on the pita bread
5. Add a Tablespoon of warmed rendang sauce, scallions and cilantro
6. Fold pita in half and pin together with toothpick

Thai Creamy Chili Kaffir Lime Stir-Fry with Shrimp, Sweet Peppers and Rice Noodles

Serves 8-10

Ingredients:
1 bottle of WorldFoods Thai Creamy Chili Kaffir Lime Stir-Fry Sauce
12 ounces of peeled and de-veined shrimp (defrosted if frozen)
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 teaspoon of canola oil
8 ounces of cooked rice noodles
1/2 cup thinly sliced sweet mini bell peppers
2 sliced scallions
5 sprigs of cilantro
1 lime wedge
Salt and pepper

Method:
1. Add chopped garlic and 1 teaspoon of canola oil in a non-stick pan on medium heat and stir for 20 seconds
2. Bring WorldFoods Thai Creamy Chili Kaffir Lime Stir-Fry Sauce to a simmer in a separate pan
3. Reheat rice noodles with a teaspoon of water and 1/2 teaspoon of canola oil in another non-stick pan
4. Add the shrimp to the pan with garlic and oil and turn up the heat to high
5. Add sliced sweet mini bell peppers and stir for a minute
6. Add scallions and stir for a minute
7. Pour the sauce on the bottom of each plate in equal amounts
8. Portion the noodles in the middle of each plate and place shrimp stir-fry on top
9. Garnish with cilantro and serve with a wedge of lime