When the cat's away...

It's true - when G. is away on business. I eat differently. I want spicy, sticky, messy food. Something I can eat with my hands. Yes, when the cat's away, the mice tend to lick their fingers.

It's not that I wouldn't eat this way in front of my husband (I've never taken a survey, but I'm pretty sure there's nothing sexier than watching a woman suck sauteed ginger off her fingers...), but there's something slumber partyish about sitting down at our new kitchen table - a marble topped cafe table found at the local brocante - and slipping in a DVD (costume drama, please) as I try my best to avoid dripping sauce on the laptop. A glass of wine might be in order.

Since becoming a parent, these solo evenings feel like a special treat. Of course, Augustin would like nothing better than to eat dinner entirely with his hands, but it's not quite the same when I'm worried about handprints on the walls...

So the next time you find yourself on your own for dinner - resist the temptation to eat microwave popcorn out the bag, and try this instead:

Ginger Garlic and Coriander Shrimp with Lettuce Wraps Because of their former colony in Indochina, living in France means an excellent introduction to Vietnamese food. This recipe is inspired by my love of nem, Vietnamese spring rolls, served with fresh mint and lettuce leaves for a leafy crunchy sandwich.

Olive oil
3/4 lb frozen shrimp (Buy raw shrimp, please! That means they will be gray in the bag, and pink up in the pan. I never buy already cooked frozen shrimp, they just taste like mushy water)
1/4 cup fresh ginger, coarsely grated
6 large cloves of garlic, coarsely grated
A splash of white wine
A few pinches of hot pepper (optional, but highly recommended)
A big handful of fresh coriander (cilantro), plus a few sprigs for garnish
8-10 large lettuce leaves
1 fresh lime

In a large frying pan, heat enough olive oil to generously cover the bottom of the pan. Add the garlic, ginger and hot pepper, and saute for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the shrimp, stir to coat, and then shake the pan so the shrimp sit in a single layer. Wait 2-3 minutes (until the shrimp are pink on one side), and turn. Add a good splash of white wine and continue until the shrimp are cooked through. Cooking time will depend on the size of your shrimp, they should be uniformly pink. Test one to see, they don't take long.

Turn off the heat, add your handful of cilantro, stir to combine.

Put your shrimp (and all the sticky garlic ginger sauce) in a bowl, surrounded by lettuce leaves, half a lime and the cilantro.

Squeeze the lime over the shrimp, wrap each shrimp (be sure to include up some garlic ginger goop) and a sprig of cilantro in a piece of lettuce - and enjoy!

Lick your fingers.

Serves 1