AUGUST 18, 2020
Hi Everyone,
We are deep into summer, time of juicy tomatoes and crisp peppers, hot and sweet. And cilantro, that herb that people either love or hate.
The famous food writer, Gael Green described it as “that herb I hated right up to the moment I fell in love with it.”
So, it’s a good time to talk about dressings and sauces. Here’s a great cilantro dressing for the season’s salads.
CILANTRO VINAIGRETTE
- 1 huge bunch of fresh cilantro (2 cups packed)
- 1/2 cup olive oil
- 2 TBS white vinegar
- 1 clove garlic
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
- 1/4 to 1/2 cup water, if needed
Blend everything until it’s smooth. Add the water if you need it. Season to taste.
That’s it! Easy, huh?
How about an all-purpose dipping sauce, good with almost anything (well, I wouldn’t serve it with ice cream, but that’s just me).
THAI CILANTRO DIPPING SAUCE
- 2 serrano peppers, seeds and ribs removed
- 4 cloves garlic, 2 smashed, 2 minced
- 1/2 cup lightly packed cilantro leaves and stems, plus 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
- 2 TBS Asian fish sauce (nam pla or nuoc mam)
- 1 TBS cooking oil (vegetable oil)
- 1 tsp Asian sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/3 lbs in all)
- 6 TBS rice wine vinegar
- 1 TBS sugar
- 1/4 tsp dried red pepper flakes
- 1 1/2 TBS water
Light the grill or grill pan, or preheat the broiler. In a blender or food processor, puree the serranos, smashed garlic cloves, the 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems, the fish sauce, cooking oil, sesame oil, and 1/4 tsp of the salt. Put the chicken in a shallow dish and coat it with the cilantro puree.
Grill the chicken over moderately high heat or broil it for 5 minutes. Turn and cook it until just done, about 5 minutes longer.
Meanwhile, in a small stainless-steel saucepan, bring the vinegar, sugar, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to a simmer, stirring. Simmer for 2 minutes. Pour the liquid into a small glass bowl and let it cool. Add the minced garlic, the 1TBS chopped cilantro, the red-pepper flakes, and water. Serve each chicken breast with a small bowl of the dipping sauce alongside.
This dipping sauce can be used with anything from steak to fish.
I hope you enjoy these easy summer-friendly sauces.
Have a delicious week!
Best,
Judi