Peanut Sauce

I made this the other night to go with some Shrimp Summer Rolls (blog to come shortly!). It was super easy and super yummy, but it made A LOT, so if you just need a little, I would half it.

Peanut Sauce 

1/2 cup peanut butter (I used crunchy and it was super yummy, but use what you have)

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 garlic clove, minced (I used jarred garlic and put a little of the garlic juice in too)

1 teaspoon chile-garlic paste (so I went and bought this, but after I opened it, I realized it's really close to sriracha sauce, so if you have that, don't buy this!)

1 tablespoon dark sesame oil

juice of 1 lime

1/4 cup water

Mix everything together until smooth. I found it easiest to use a whisk to get it smooth.

Serve on anything and everything. Like I said, I put it on summer rolls, but you can also use it for chicken or beef satay, thin it out and use it as a salad dressing or marinade, use it to top noodles, or even for a stir-fry. Use your imagination!

And... don't be afraid that you won't use the ingredients you have to buy to make this again. All of them are pretty common ingredients in Asian cooking that you'll definitely use over and over if you like experimenting with different foods!

And... (promise this is the last thing), if you have an Asian/ethnic grocery store or market in your neighborhood, CHECK IT OUT! There's one right around the corner from me called Dong-A-Supermarket, and it's filled with all sorts of strange things I've never heard of and will never eat, but it's also filled with all sorts of treasures that you can't get anywhere else, and they're all SUPER cheap (6 limes for $1! please!). BTW and I went there one evening and spent 2 hours wandering the aisles just taking it all in. Go out and explore your neighborhood, I promise you won't regret it :)

Sriracha Remoulade

A few nights ago we had sweet potato fries with dinner, and instead of ketchup, I wanted to make something a little more special. I've been hoarding (okay, I'll admit it, I'm a recipe hoarder) this recipe for Sriracha Remoulade from Bon Appetit for awhile, and thought I could whip up a version with ingredients I already had in the pantry. I've obviously deviated (quite a bit) from the recipe, but you know my policy -- use what you have!

Sriracha Remoulade
1/4 cup mayo
1 tablespoon sriracha (or more if you like it spicy)
1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 tablespoon sherry wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon dried chives
fresh ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together and enjoy!

[Again, no picture. Blame New Years.]

Cheese Truffles

The second yummy I made this weekend was Cheese Truffles. I made them because my roomie is vegetarian, and I didn't want him to feel left out with the Pancetta Crisps. These are also super easy and super yummy! I found this recipe in some magazine a long time ago. Officially, it's a Tillamook Cheese recipe, but it's totally okay if you don't use Tillamook cheese. :)

Cheese Truffles 
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced shallot
4 ounces Jack cheese, broken into chunks
4 ounces White Extra Sharp Cheddar cheese, broken into chunks
2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, slightly softened
1 1/2 tablespoons brandy or cognac (I actually used Grand Marnier, and it was fine!)
1 tablespoon finely minced celery
pinch cayenne
1/4 cup breadcrumbs (don't use panko)
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Heat oil in small frying pan and saute shallots until soft. Set aside to cool.

Place cheese, butter & brandy in bowl of food processor. (I used a Vitamix blender, because out of all the crazy kitchen appliances we have in this house, we actually do NOT own a food processor!) Pulse until mixture is smooth.

Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in shallots, celery and cayenne. Chill in fridge 1/2 hour or until firm.

In separate bowl, combine bread crumbs and parsley. Using a teaspoon, form balls and roll in breadcrumb mixture. This makes about 20-24 truffles. Serve (to your vegetarian friends) at room temperature!

Thanks to John & Juan for the beautifulest plates EVER :)

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese & Figs

Gosh, I must be the WORST blogger in the world. But I made some yummies this weekend that I MUST share with you.

So my crew had an impromptu dinner party Saturday night, and I had to bring an appetizer. I've been eying this recipe for awhile, especially over the holidays, but never found the perfect occasion to make it. But I decided a small gathering of close friends wouldn't judge me if it went terribly wrong. So I made it! And it was a big hit! And, the best part, it's SO easy to make.

Pancetta Crisps with Goat Cheese & Figs
(I'm gonna give you the recipe for 12, but I made 16. However many you want to make, just get that many pancetta slices.)
12 thin pancetta slices (I had to go to the deli counter, don't get them TOO thin, though!)
12 arugula leaves
12 teaspoons goat cheese (softened)
fig jam or preserves (so I couldn't find this in Publix, but I bought some extra dried figs, blended them with water and honey and made my own fig "preserves")
6 fresh or plump dried figs, halved (I cut them in half lengthwise -- if that makes sense -- so the pretty side shows)
chopped fresh thyme
fresh ground pepper

Lay the pancetta slices on a rimmed baking sheet (I actually used a rack inside a half-sheet pan, like I make bacon, to let the grease drip down). Bake at 450 for 15-20 minutes. You want the pancetta to be crispy, but not burnt. Keep an eye on it! Cool pancetta slices. To assemble, get one pancetta crisp, spread with a little fig "preserves", top with a leaf of arugula, then a teaspoon of goat cheese, and finally lay the fig on top, pressing down a little to secure into the cheese. Sprinkle with fresh thyme and ground pepper.

 
ENJOY!

[Side note about the photo--there was an incident involved my camera over New Years so it's now in the camera graveyard. Therefore, until I decide to shell out for another camera, please enjoy these sketchy iPhone photos!]