Category: Appetizers

Servings: 8
Source: epicurious
These rich nibbles only taste decadent. Soft goat cheese is naturally lower in fat.

These rich nibbles only taste decadent. Soft goat cheese is naturally lower in fat.

Ingredients
1/3 cup soft herbed goat cheese
16 Medjool dates, pitted
16 large basil leaves
4 wide, thin slices prosciutto di Parma, each cut into 4 long strips
16 toothpicks, soaked in water 10 minutes

Directions
Heat broiler to low. Spoon 1 teaspoon cheese into each date; wrap with a basil leaf, then a prosciutto strip. Secure with a toothpick. Broil until cheese bubbles, about 3 minutes. Serve warm.

Servings: 2 doz
Preheat: 350°
Source: From Fine Cooking 114 , pp. 25
October 27, 2011
Like corn bread? Then you’ll love these savory, two-bite muffins, which get subtle sweetness and a hearty texture from polenta, or corn grits, a medium-grind cornmeal. Packed with aged Cheddar, rich roasted red peppers, and nutty brown butter, they’re perfect as a nibble on their own or with a bowl of spicy chili.

Ingredients
Cooking spray
3 oz (6 Tbs.) unsalted butter
3 oz (3/4 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
3-1/2 oz (1/2 cup plus 2 Tbs.) stone-ground polenta, such as Bob’s Red Mill corn grits
2 oz aged Cheddar, grated (about 1/2 cup)
1 tsp baking powder
Kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 lg eggs
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup finely diced roasted red peppers
1 med scallion, finely chopped

Directions
Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Generously coat a 24-cup mini muffin pan with cooking spray.

Melt the butter in a heavy-duty 1-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the butter turns a nutty golden-brown, about 4 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let cool.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, polenta, Cheddar, baking powder, 1 tsp salt, and a few grinds of pepper.

In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium speed until pale yellow and thickened, 3 to 4 minutes. Reduce the speed to low. Add a third of the dry ingredients, then half of the melted butter, mixing after each addition until just incorporated. Alternately add the remaining flour and butter, mixing after each addition, and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir in the roasted red peppers and scallions by hand.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan (about 1 Tbsp per muffin). Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 10 to 15 minutes.

The muffins may be baked up to 8 hours in advance. To reheat, wrap in foil and heat in a 350°F oven until warm, 7 to 10 minutes.

Let cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes and then unmold. Serve warm.

Servings: 6
Source: Gourmet 1/1979

Ingredients
1 tablespoon dried shrimp
6 dried Chinese black mushrooms
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons cornstarch
imported sesame oil
salt, white pepper
¼ teaspoon sugar
¾ pound ground pork or ground beef
1 tablespoon’ minced scallion
3 eggs
10 ounces spinach
3 tablespoons peanut oil
½ cup Chinese chicken broth or tinned chicken broth
1 tablespoon rice wine
1 teaspoon cornstarch

Directions
In a small dish let 1 tablespoon dried shrimp soak in warm water to cover for 45 minutes. In a small bowl let 6 dried Chinese black mushrooms soak in warm water to cover for 15 minutes. Drain the mushrooms well; remove and discard the stems, and mince the caps. In another small dish combine 1 ablespoon soy sauce, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 taspoon imported sesame oil, ¾ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon sugar.

Drain the shrimp well and mince them. In a large bowl combine ¾ pound ground pork or ground beef, the soy sauce mixture, the mushrooms, the shrimp, 1 tablespoon minced scallion, and 2 teaspoons peeled and minced gingerroot, throw the mixture lightly against the inside of the bowl to compact it, and form it into 12 balls.

In a small bowl beat 3 eggs lightly with tablespoon water and ¼ tsp salt. Brush a well seasoned skillet or a nonstick skillet with peanut oil and heat the oil over high heat until it is very hot. Remove the skillet from the heat, let it cool for 1 minute, and add one third of the egg mixture, tilting and rotating the skillet to form a thin even layer. Cook the egg sheet until it is just set, turn it, and cook the other side until it is just set. Transfer the egg sheet to a plate. Continue to make egg sheets with the remaining egg mixture in the same manner. Let the egg sheets cool, stack them, and shred-them finely.

Coat the meatballs as much as possible with the shredded egg, arrange them on a lightly oiled heatproof plate 2 inches smaller in diameter than the rack of a steamer, and drape any remaining shredded egg on top of the meatballs. Put the plate in the steamer and steam the egg balls, covered, for 20 minutes.

Have ready 10 ounces spinach, trimmed, washed, and patted dry with paper towels. While the egg balls are steaming heat a wok or heavy skillet over high heat until it is very hot, add 3 tablespoons peanut oil, and heat it until it is very hot. Add the spinach and stir-fry it for 5 minutes, or until it is limp and one fourth its former volume. Arrange the spinach around the edge of a platter and keep it warm. In a small saucepan combine ½ cup Chinese chicken broth or tinned chicken broth, 1 tablespoon rice wine, 1 teaspoon cornstarch and ½ salt, ½ teaspoon imported sesame oil, ¼ teaspoon white pepper and heat the mixture over moderate heat, stirring, until it is thickened. Arrange the egg balls in the center of the platter and pour the sauce over them.

Servings: —
Source: Fine Cooking 12/2001 pg 62
If there’s one thing I always keep on hand during the holidays, it’s a stash of roasted nuts, seasoned in a variety of ways. When friends drop by, a bowl of Spicy Maple Walnuts, Malabar Pecans, or Parmesan Almonds makes the perfect snack with cocktails. I also like to pack the nuts into decorative tins or jars and give them as gifts.

Make it a cardinal rule to start these recipes with high-quality nuts. Search out a bulk purveyor, like a natural-foods store, where you can see if the nuts look shriveled, meaning they’re old. Nut oils are especially perishable and can quickly turn rancid, so try to taste before you buy. If you’re not using the nuts within a few days, refrigerate them for up to two weeks or freeze them for up to six months.

The challenge in making seasoned nuts is getting the seasonings to stick. Egg whites do a thorough and even job of this, although the resulting heavy and opaque coating somewhat obscures the look of the nut. Melted butter is the other option; the result is a glossy, oiled nut with a lighter dusting of seasoning. The butter option also gives you the flexibility to either roast or microwave the nuts. The microwave is quicker, but the oven gives you crisper texture and richer, toastier flavor and color. Either way, once you try my recipes, you can vary the flavors and create your own signature savory nut.

Ingredients

Directions
Spicy Maple Walnuts

These nuts continue to toast a bit from the intense heat of the glaze, so don’t overbake them. Leave the ginger slices in the nut mixture for a delicious surprise. Pecans or hazelnuts are also great this way.

Yields 4 cups.

4 Tbs. unsalted butter
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
6 quarter-size slices fresh ginger, halved
1 Tbs. water
I tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. Tabasco, or to taste
1 lb. (4 cups) shelled walnuts

In a conventional oven – Heat the oven to 300°F. Combine all the ingredients except the nuts in a small saucepan and slowly simmer over low heat for 2 to 3 min. Put the nuts in a bowl, pour the glaze over them, and stir and toss to coat them with the glaze. Line a jellyroll pan with foil and spread the nuts in a single layer on it. Bake for 30 to 40 min., stirring at 1 5- and then 10-min. intervals. When the nuts look light and almost dry as you toss them, they’re done. Don’t touch them; the caramelized sugar is extremely hot. Slide the foil onto a rack and let the nuts cool completely.

In a microwave – Put the butter in the largest shallow dish that fits in your microwave. Heat on high for 1 min. to melt the butter. Add the remaining ingredients except the nuts and heat for 3 min. on high. Stir to combine. Add the nuts, stirring and tossing to coat them with the glaze. Microwave on high for up to 9 min., stirring at 2-min. and then 1 -min. intervals to redistribute the coating and prevent scorching. When all the liquid has caramelized, they’re done. Don’t touch them; the caramelized sugar is extremely hot. Carefully slide the nuts onto a foil-lined rack to cool.

For either method-Store in airtight containers or plastic freezer bags.

Malabar Pecans

All nuts burn easily because of their high oil content. Be vigilant and test frequently for doneness. The beckoning aroma of well-roasted nuts will signal their rescue. Taste the nuts when they’re cool and adjust the seasonings with a final light dusting of spices. Yields 4 cups.

4 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. canola oil
1 Tbs. Madras curry powder
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. cayenne
I lb. (4 cups) shelled pecans

In a conventional oven-Heat the oven to 300°F. Heat all the ingredients except the nuts in a small saucepan over medium heat to release the flavors and dissolve the salt. Pour the mixture into a large bowl and add the nuts. Toss and stir the nuts to coat them thoroughly. Spread them in a single layer on a foil-lined jellyroll pan. Bake for 30 min., stirring well every 10 min., until the nuts are deeply browned. Slide the foil out of the pan onto a cooling rack and let the nuts cool completely.

In a microwave-Put all the ingredients except the nuts in the largest shallow dish that fits in your microwave. Heat on high for 1 min. to release the flavors and melt the butter. Stir to combine. Add the nuts, tossing and stirring to thoroughly coat them. Toast the nuts on high for 6 min., stirring well at 2-min. intervals to redistribute the seasonings. Rotate the dish occasionally if your microwave doesn’t have a carousel. Spread the nuts on a length of foil to cool.

For either method-Store in airtight containers or plastic freezer bags.

Almonds with Parmesan, Rosemary & Fennel

A combination of blanched and skin-on almonds gives this mix great eye appeal. Yields 3 cups.

Olive oil for the pan
1 Tbs. chopped fresh rosemary leaves
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. fennel seed
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 egg whites
1/2 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 lb. (1 1/2 cups) blanched almonds
1/2 lb. (1 1/2 cups) skin-on almonds

Heat the oven to 300°F. Line a jellyroll pan with foil and spray or brush lightly with olive oil.

Grind the rosemary, salt, fennel, and pepper in a spice mill to a fine powder, or mince the rosemary and grind the mixture in a mortar and pestle. In a large bowl, whisk the egg whites until they foam. Add the spices and cheese. Whisk again to combine. Add the nuts, stirring and tossing to thoroughly coat them.
Spread them in a single layer on the foil-lined pan. Bake for 45 min., stirring every 1 5 min. to redistribute the coating. The nuts will stick to the foil at first and need to be gently pried loose to expose them evenly to the heat. Slide the nuts, on the foil, onto a rack to cool.

Store in screw-top jars or airtight tins; plastic may cause the crisp coating to soften.

Spiced Pecans

This recipe makes enough for the stuffing, with extra to serve as nibbles before the meal.

Yields 4 cups.

4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1 tsp. each ground white pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice (or 4 tsp. quatre épices)
4 cups pecan halves (about 12 oz.)
1/4 cup butter, melted
1/3 cup dark maple syrup (or 1/2 cup regular maple syrup)

Up to two weeks ahead:

Heat the oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, toss together the salt, cayenne, white pepper, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. Add the pecans and toss well. Drizzle the melted butter over the pecans and mix well. Turn out onto a rimmed baking sheet, scraping any spices and butter from the bowl and spreading the nuts into one layer. Bake until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally, about 9 min. Drizzle the maple syrup over the nuts, stir to combine, and bake about 10 min. longer, until the nuts turn glossy and slightly dark. Let the nuts cool in the pan for 30 min. and then scrape the nuts and any maple drippings into a bowl; break up any large clusters. Reserve 2 cups of the nuts; chop the remainder very coarsely. Label and store the chopped nuts (for the stuffing) and the whole nuts (for nibbling) separately in the freezer in zip-top bags.

Servings: 20
Prep Time: 35 min
Inactive Prep Time: 10 min
Source: Gourmet 12/99 pg 176
Edamame are fun to eat – the slightly fuzzy bright-green pods tickle your lips as you gently suck the beans into your mouth. Provide bowls for the empty pods.

Ingredients
½ cup kosher salt
2 tablespoons Sichuan peppercorns
2 tablespoons pink peppercorns
4 (1-1b) bags frozen edamame

Directions
Toast salt in a dry, small, heavy skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until salt turns light tan, about 7 minutes. Transfer salt to a bowl. Toast Sichuan peppercorns in skillet over moderate heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 2 minutes. Transfer toasted peppercorns to a sheet of wax paper to cool. Using paper as a funnel, pour toasted peppercorns into an electric coffee/spice grinder or a mortar. Add pink peppercorns and pulse or pound with a pestle until finely ground. Pour through a coarse sieve into bowl of salt and stir together.

Cook edamame in 4 batches in salted boiling water until tender, about 4 minutes, and immediately transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl of ice and cold water to stop cooking. Return water to a boil between batches. Drain in a colander and pat dry.

Toss edamame with some peppered salt to taste and serve with remainder on the side.

Cooks’ notes:
· Peppered salt may be made 1 week ahead and kept in an airtight container at cool room temperature.
· Edamame may be cooked 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before tossing with peppered salt.

Servings: —
Source: From David Tannis ”A Platter of Figs”
Provençal Toasts

The traditional hors d’oeuvre in Provence is a crust of toasted bread smeared with a dab of a tasty spread. The idea is to offer your guests a little something before the meal, but nothing too filling. A bowl of olives is de rigueur, and a platter of these savory croutons (or toasts or crostini) is suitably casual.

Day-old baguettes are a staple in most Provençal kitchens, and there, as in the rest of the Mediterranean, old bread is always put to good use. Of course, it’s possible to use fresh bread, but day-old works better. To make the toasts, simply slice a baguette as thin as possible. Paint the slices – an average baguette will yield about 20 slices­ – very lightly with olive oil, spread them in one layer on a baking sheet, and bake at 375°F until barely browned, about 10 minutes. Cool the toasts to room temperature.

Any number of savory pastes (such as the three that follow) can be used to top the toasts. Traditional favorites include anchoiade, a garlicky anchovy paste, and tapenade, a black and green olive paste. Other choices are goat cheese with herbs, roasted pepper puree, or basil pesto. All can be made a day ahead. Then, just before serving, the toasts are spread quite lightly with the topping, just a soupçon-a scant teaspoon per toast.

Ingredients
Tapenade
Grilled Eggplant
Spicy Walnet

Directions
Tapenade This is the simplest olive paste. For

1 cup pitted Niçoise olives 2 anchovy fillets, well rinsed 2 garlic cloves, chopped ¼ cup olive oil, or a little more Salt and pepper to taste

Grind all the ingredients to a fine paste in a blender or food processor. Scrape the paste into a bowl, taste, and adjust the seasoning. Thin with a little more olive oil if you like. If too much olive oil rises to surface, blot off with paper towel.

Grilled eggplant paste appetizer Grilling the eggplant gives this spread a faint smoky flavor.

6 Japanese eggplants (not globe) Salt and pepper Juice of 1 small lemon 2 teaspoons chopped capers 1 garlic clove, smashed to a paste with a little salt 2 teaspoons chopped parsley 2 teaspoons finely minced chives ¼ cup olive oil

Put the eggplants under the broiler, over an open flame, or over hot coals and cook for 10 minutes or so, turning frequently, until the skins are blackened and the flesh is soft. Set aside to cool.

Cut the eggplants lengthwise in half and scrape the flesh from the skins. Chop the eggplant flesh coarsely with a knife and put it in a bowl. Pour off or blot any juices, and season with salt and pepper. Add the lemon juice, capers, garlic, parsley, and chives. Stir in the olive oil with a fork and mash everything a bit. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Spicy walnut paste This walnut paste is of Arabic origin but it works well in a Provencal context.

1 small tomato, peeled and chopped 1½ cups shelled walnuts Salt and pepper to taste ¼ teaspoon cayenne or hot red pepper flakes or piment d’Espeletre 1 garlic clove, chopped ¼ cup olive oil, or a little more

Grind all the ingredients to a paste in a blender or food processor. Put the paste in a bowl. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding a little more oil if necessary.

Servings: —

Ingredients
8 large Vietnamese rice papers (banh trang)
½ cup peanut oil or vegetable oil
¼ cup matchstick-cut firm tofu (bean curd)
8 tender whole lettuce leaves, or 1½ cups shredded lettuce
1 cup (3 ounces) bean sprouts, blanched for 15 seconds and drained
½ cup (2½ ounces) matchstick-cut celery
½ cup (2¼ ounces) matchstick-cut unpeeled, seeded cucumber
½ cup (2½ ounces) matchstick-cut peeled carrot, blanched in boiling waterfor 1 minute and drained
4 scallion, white and some green, cut in to 3-inch pieces, then shredded lengthwise
1 mild fresh red chili or ¼ red bell pepper, seeded and finely shredded
8 small fresh mint or basil sprigs
8 small coriander (cilantro) sprigs

For the Sauce
½ cup hoisin sauce
¼ to ¾ teaspoon sambal ulek or other chili paste or sauce

Directions
One by one, dip the dried rice papers into a bowl of cold water, leaving immersed long enough to soften and turn white, about 40 seconds, then carefully lift out and spread on a damp cloth.

The tofu can be used uncooked or fried, To fry, heat the oil in a small pan over niedium-l-ilgh heit and fry the tofu, turning as needed, until golden, about 2 minutes. Remove with tongs to paper towels to drain briefly.

Prepare all the vegetables and herbs as directed and arrange in groups on a board with the tofu. Divide the ingredients evenly among the rice-paper rounds, placing them one on top of the other in the center of each round. Wrap carefully first turning in one edge, then the two sides, and finally carefully rolling into a cylinder, taking care not to tear the rice paper.

To make the sauce, in a small bowl stir together the holsin sauce and chill paste until well mixed, adjusting the chili paste to taste. Divide among small sauce dishes, for dipping.

Serve the salad rolls on small plates, with the sauce bowls alongside.

VARIATION: Use your own choice of salad ingredients in the filling, all cut into matchstick pieces. Consider jicama, snow peas, Japanese pear, Japanese white radish, and green bell pepper.

Servings: —
goi cuon-VIETNAM, CAMBODIA

Long ago in Paris, I learned to make these roll-ups from Salme, the aunt of a friend. Salme had fled Estonia during the Second World War and taken refuge in France. When I met her, she had been married to a Vietnamese doctor for almost thirty years. They’d spent several years in Vietnam in the late forties, then had returned to France.

Salme made wonderful Vietnamese food. She was quick in all her movements and alert, the last person you’d expect to have the patience to hand-roll rice paper roll-ups. In fact, she’d figured out, like many gifted cooks before her, that the work goes quickly if you have many hands doing it, someone to talk with as you work, and an efficient system for getting the work done. So the basic recipe for rice paper roll-ups should begin: “”Gather one or two friends round your work area to help.”” The work goes quickly, and it is fun when done in good company. You can make these up to two hours ahead, then cover them with a damp towel until ready to serve.

Serve whole or cut in half, as appetizers or as part of a meal.

Ingredients
12 medium shrimp, fresh or frozen
3 to 4 ounces dried rice vermicelli, soaked in warm water for 20 minutes and drained
15 rice papers (about 8 inches in diameter)
1½ cups bean sprouts, blanched in boiling water for 30 seconds and drained
¾ cup Carrot and Daikon Pickled Salad (page 85), or substitute ¾ cup grated carrot tossed with 1 teaspoon sugar and I tablespoon rice vinegar
½ cup packed mint leaves
30 chives or Chinese chives, or substitute greens from 6 to 8 scallions, cut lengthwise into slivers
½ cup packed coriander leaves

ACCOMPANIMENTS
Vietnamese Herb and Salad Plate (page 68)
Vietnamese Must-Have Table Sauce (nuoc cham, page 28)
or Vietnamese Peanut Sauce (nuoc leo, page 28)

Directions
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Drop in the shrimp, bring back to a boil, and cook just until pink and firm to the touch, 1 to 3 minutes. Lift out immediately with tongs or chopsticks and transfer to a plate to cool.

Bring the water back to a boil. Drop in the soaked vermicelli, cook for 2 minutes, or until soft, and drain. Refresh with cold water, drain, and set aside.

Remove the shrimp shells, devein, and cut the shrimp lengthwise in half down the back. Set aside.
Place a large bowl of warm water by your work area. Moisten a tea towel or cotton cloth thoroughly with water and lay it flat on the work surface. Working with 1 rice paper at a time, immerse the rice paper in the water. It will soften in less than 3o seconds. Lift it out and place it flat on the wet cloth. Place about 1 tablespoon of noodles on it, spreading them in a line across the wrapper about one third of the way from the bottom edge. Lay about 1 tablespoon bean sprouts and a heaping teaspoon carrot salad along the line of noodles and then sprinkle several mint leaves along it. Start to roll up the fillings in the wrapper, then place 2 shrimp halves along the length of the roll. Fold over the ends to seal in the filling, then roll up another half turn. Place 2 chives or a sliver or two of scallion along the crease, letting one end stick out past the end of the roll. Place several coriander leaves along the crease, then finish rolling up. Moisten the edge with water and set on a plate, seam side down. Cover with a damp cloth and with plastic wrap, then repeat with the remaining rolls.

Serve immediately, or set aside for up to 2 hours, covered with the damp cloth and plastic wrap to prevent the rice paper wrappers from drying out. Serve on a platter or on individual plates, whole or cut crosswise in half.

To eat, place a leaf of lettuce in your palm and lay a roll-up on it. Wrap the lettuce leaf round one end of the roll-up (as if you were wrapping a cone in a napkin) – Use a small spoon to drizzle on the sauce as you eat, mouthful by mouthful.

MAKES 15 roll-ups; serves 10 as part of a rice meal

Nuoc charn-VIETNAM

Nuoc cham is the basic Vietnamese sauce that goes on the table at almost every meal. It brings out the flavors of the food and sparks the appetite. Everyone has a favorite version: This one includes a little vinegar, which gives it a fresh sharp edge. Even if the amount of sugar seems high to you when you make it for the first time, try it this way at least once before you start making adjustments.

¼ cup fresh lime juice
¼ cup Vietnamese or Thai fish sauce
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons rice or cider vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar

I small clove garlic, minced

I bird chile, minced

Several shreds of carrot (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl and stir to dissolve the sugar completely. Serve in one or more small condiment bowls. Store in a tightly sealed glass container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days (after that, the garlic starts to taste tired).

MAKES just over ¾ cup sauce

Vietnamese Peanut Sauce

Nuo leo-VIETNAM

Nuoc leo may read like a close cousin of satay sauce, but it’s very distinctively Vietnamese. It’s a little chunky and salty, and reddish brown in color. Rich with peanuts and ground pork, sour with tomato, and salty with fermented soybean sauce, it makes a great dip for cucumber slices and other raw vegetables, for Rice Paper Rollups with Shrimp and Herbs (page 177), Grilled Lemongrass Beef (page 225), or Vietnamese Grilled Pork Balls (nem nuong, page 252).

1/4 cup Dry-Roasted Peanuts (page 308)

Scant 2 tablespoons tamarind pulp, dissolved in 2 tablespoons warm water, or substitute scant 2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons peanut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
3 tablespoons ground pork
3 tablespoons fermented soybean paste (tuong in Vietnamese; dao iiao in Thai)
About 1cup water
½ teaspoons sugar
1 to 2 bird chiles, minced
Generous squeeze of fresh lime juice (optional)

Place the peanuts in a food processor or large mortar and process or pound to a coarse powder; set aside. If using tamarind, press it through a sieve; reserve the liquid and discard the solids.

Heat the oil in a wok or skillet over. high heat. Add the garlic and stir-fry until it is starting to change color, about 15 seconds. Toss in the pork and use your spatula to break it up into small pieces. Once it all has changed color, add the soybean paste and the tamarind or tomato paste and stir to blend. Stir in 1/2 cup of the water, then stir in most of the ground peanuts, reserving about i tablespoon for garnish. Stir in the sugar and chiles. Add up to 1/2 cup more water, until you have the desired texture: a thick liquid, pourable but not watery.
Serve in small individual condiment bowls or in one medium bowl with a spoon so guests can drizzle sauce onto their food or onto their plates. Serve warm or at room temperature, squeezing on the optional lime ‘nice and sprinkling on the reserved ground peanuts just before serving.

The sauce will keep well -sealed in the refrigerator for 3 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Reheat it in a small pan and simmer briefly before placing in a serving bowl.

Makes about 2 cups sauce

Servings: —
Source: Gourmet, aug 91

Ingredients
two 7-ounce jars roasted red peppers, drained and patted dry
8 sun-dried tomato halves, soaked in hot water for 5 minutes, drained well, and patted dry
1 garlic clove, minced and mashed to a paste with a pinch of salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leafed parsley leaves plus additional parsley for garnish
4 ounces cream cheese, cut into bits and softened
½ cup sour cream
lightly toasted pita triangles or crudités

Directions
In a food processor purée the peppers, the tomatoes, the garlic paste, the lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the parsley until the mixture is smooth, add the cream cheese, the sour cream, and salt and pepper to taste, and purée the mixture, scraping down the side of the bowl occasionally, until it is smooth. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl, garnish it with the additional parsley, and serve it with the pita toasts or the crudites. Makes about 2¼ cups.