Roasted Red Pepper Romesco Sauce
Our version of Catalonian tomato-red pepper romesco sauce boosts the ratio of roasted bell peppers. It may just end up being, like it has mine, your new all-purpose sauce.
More Recent Dressings & Dips
Fiery-Sweet Peach Salsa
The heat of the jalapeno and bite of the red onion play nicely off the subtle sweetness of the peach in this summery salsa.
Spanish Leaning Spinach and Chickpea Dip
I waffled about whether to name this 'hummus' or 'chickpea dip', but ultimately thought it veered far enough from tradition to go with the latter. It is, in any case, delicious. If you've ever had any doubt as to the strength of pounded garlic, this little dish will set you straight.
Curry Dipping Sauce
A super-simple dipping sauce great with everything from grilled artichokes to quinoa cakes.
Mustard-Shallot Vinaigrette
This is a French-inspired vinaigrette that I love to use for hearty, rustic salads.
All-Purpose Asian Dipping Sauce
Use this as a drizzle or dip for just about any Asian dish. Fumiko's Gyoza are especially good for dunking.
Homemade Mayonnaise
Homemade mayonnaise is rich, creamy, and tangy in a way stuff from the jar can’t duplicate. Whipping up your own mayo also is a use of leftover egg yolks from making meringues and other egg-white-based recipes (like our Chocolate Angel Food Cake). I enjoy the satisfaction of whipping the egg yolks by hand, but you could use a blender, food processor, or stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment (a good idea if you decide to double or triple this recipe). The amount of oil you’ll use depends on the size of the yolks and how thick you like your mayonnaise; for a stiff sauce, use more oil. This mayo is great spread on a sandwich, as well as in other recipes, like Bestest Buttermilk-Chive Dressing. To make alioli, substitute extra-virgin olive oil for canola, and add a clove or two of garlic that’s been mashed to a paste.
Guatemalan Guacamole
There's nothing quite like the buttery flesh of an avocado, made even better by the fact that they're loaded with healthy fats. Do be aware, though, that those same fats make this a calorically-dense dish . . . so just be conscious of your bites.
Guatemalan Avocado Salad with Arugula and Chile-Lime Dressing
This is the salad I’ve settled on serving with the Pollo en Jocon we’ll be having for Thanksgiving—a mixture of creamy and rich and light and crisp (it’s a variation on a traditional Guatemalan recipe from the excellent book, False Tongues and Sunday Bread). I could tell you about how healthy the monounsaturated fats from the avocados are, but you already know that. Instead, just enjoy the dish.
Grilled Onions with Chile-Nut Puree
When I think of Mexico, I think of cebollitas (little onions), nestled in embers, turning buttery soft with a haunting smoky flavor. I like to wrap the charred tail around the bulb like wrapping string around a ball, then I scrape it through the flavorful paste and pop it in my mouth whole.
Bestest Buttermilk-Chive Dressing
There's something about a creamy, tangy, dare-I-say zippy buttermilk dressing that makes it positively craveable. And despite its richness, buttermilk has fewer calories than whole milk, so pour it on and let go of the guilt.
Sweet Pepper Confit
Summer vegetable confits, like this one from sweet peppers and garlic, are exceptionally versatile in the kitchen; the ultimate summer convenience food.
Go-to Vinaigrette
Feel free to experiment with the ingredients using these general ratios. Try swapping the garlic and white wine vinegar for shallots and champagne vinegar, for instance, or even ginger and rice wine vinegar.
Yogurt Sauce (Tzatziki)
The classic Greek condiment. This version, like the ones I had (and made) in Greece, is pungent with grated garlic.
favorite finds
Spicy Hatch chiles have begun to arrive in markets across the country! These babies are key to Southwestern cooking, and they have a very short season. Stock up now, roast 'em and stash 'em in your freezer to enjoy throughout the year.
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