Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Serendipity

It seems that this is a very productive time of year for local farms. Now I haven't stepped foot on a farm since Glastonbury, but my CSA box has been particularly abundant of late, so I can only assume that we have come to the peak harvest period.

While on one hand there is something exquisite about having a full refrigerator, on the other hand I feel a vague but constant pressure to actually use the bounty that has been bestowed upon me. And when I have five eggplants, 8 tomatoes and several pounds of greens (among other things...like cardoons which to this day I cannot figure out a use for), using them up is no easy feat.

So, as my imagination wanes in times like these, I inevitably turn to my cookbook collection for some inspiration. And where better to turn than Madhur Jaffery's World Vegetarian when the raw materials in question are vegetables?

In a recent effort to rid myself of a few Japanese eggplants through one of her recipes, I came across the best peanut sauce I have ever encountered. EVER. I am using it all over the place now.

A tangy/hot/sweet mixture of natural peanut butter (buy it in bulk from a health food store or Whole Foods...delicious and the cheapest way to obtain it!)...

stirred together to make a creamy emulsion to anoint steamed eggplant (Madhur's suggestion and it is a good one)

or just about anything else you can think of. Last night I personally was on a quest to clean out my drawers and cupboards, so threw some glass noodles and various veggies in a bowl and tossed it with the magic peanut sauce. Heaven.

As were the steamed eggplants with sauce a few days ago, and the cucumbers dipped in it a day or two ago, and the boiled potatoes tossed with it the day before. Endless possibilities.

Spicy Chinese Peanut Dressing
From Madhur Jaffrey's World Vegetarian

Yields approximately 1/2 cup

4 teaspoons freshly made peanut butter from a health food shop or 4 tablespoons roasted peanuts ground to a paste in a clean coffee grinder
4 teaspoons soy sauce
4 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon oriental sesame oil
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon chili paste with soybean or chili paste with garlic, optional (I use sriracha)
1/2 teaspoon very finely chopped ginger (I grate it on a Microplane)

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Drizzle over base of choice.

5 comments:

Kay said...

mmmmm.....sounds perfect, and delicious~! Thanks! :)

Laura in Paris said...

I love the plates you have used to serve your dishes (I love blue and white).

My Farmhouse Kitchen said...

I can't beleive you are in peanut sauce territory...but you are..

I have been combing my cookbooks looking for a recipe taht looked good. And TA-DA ! It's right here.

Thanks Laura, I am making this....

Kary
xx

Kate said...

Oooh, this sounds really good. Thanks for posting it!

gaga said...

Yum, what fantastic flavors. It's funny how well peanut butter goes with savory dishes.

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