Sriracha Loving

I have long been a devoted fan of Sriracha aka rooster sauce. You know the stuff... it comes in a bottle with a rooster on it in the Asian section of the supermarket?

I literally put it in and on everything. In my eggs in the morning, in mayo in my sandwiches, when I saute spinach at night. Truly, EVERYTHING. (I like some spice! Jeez, stop judging!)

There's this AMAZING youtube rap video about it.. trust me, you'll want to watch this over and over again. And it will get stuck in your head....sriracha rap....

I've made a delicious Sriracha Remoulade on the blog before. Tasty!

And, now my favorite magazine (even AFTER Adam Rappaport took over as editor and kind of screwed up my flow) Bon Appetit, has this great slideshow with 25 Ways to Use Sriracha.

So run, don't walk, to your nearest grocery store and get some sriracha already!!

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.]

Pesto

I love pesto. I am obsessed with it. I will eat it with a spoon. Luckily, it's super easy to make, and all you need is a food processor.

Pesto
3 large cloves garlic, peeled
20 fresh basil leaves
1 1/4 cup grated parmesean cheese (I find the best to use is Kraft from the pasta aisle)
2/3 cup pine nuts (look in the produce section for these and store in the freezer)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup olive oil

Start by putting the garlic, basil, cheese, pine nuts and salt in the food processor and mixing until a paste is formed.

Slowly drizzle oil in with processor running until mixed completely. Let sit at room temperature a few hours to let the flavors meld.

Enjoy with pasta, mix with mayo to make a pesto mayonnaise, or just eat with a spoon like me. :)

Sauces: Chimichurri

Now, I know what you're thinking... "what in the WORLD is chimichurri sauce??". Well, it's a flavorful green South American sauce usually made from herbs, garlic, and olive oil. Most importantly, it's delicious on anything grilled, or any meat for that matter. All you need to make it is a food processor (one of the most useful kitchen appliances you can own). Warning: it's truly FLAVORFUL, so if you aren't into REALLY strong flavors, try this one at your own risk. :)

I based my chimichurri on a recipe I found online and altered. It's best if you make it a few hours (up to a day and keep it refrigerated) before hand because it just gets better when the flavors meld together. If you do make it in advance, just take it out of the fridge an hour before, because you want to serve it at room temperature.

Chimichurri Sauce:
1 1/2 cups parsley (2 bunches at Publix--I used a mix of flat and curly, but you can use whatever you prefer)
1/2 cup cilantro (1 bunch at Publix)
4 large garlic cloves
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper (you can omit this if you don't want the extra bite)
1 teaspoon salt

Keep in mind that these are just suggestions for amounts. Feel free to alter the recipe to fit your own tastes--there is no "right" way to make this. (In fact, there is rarely a "right" way to make anything!) If you like cilantro, add more cilantro! If you love parsley, bring more parsley to the party. It's completely up to YOU!

First, peel and chop the garlic in the food processor.

Lightly chop the herbs before placing into food processor.

Add the crushed red pepper and salt, and pulse until herbs are chopped completely.

Stream in olive oil and vinegar, and process until sauce is mixed. It should be thick and smooth, not chunky. Dump into a bowl, let sit for a few hours (or more), and put on top of your favorite steak or grilled veggies. YUM!

This makes a LOT, so keep an eye out for a blog on how to use your leftovers to make chimichurri hamburgers!