Get Out Of The Box! cookbook www.thelword.com
Peanut-Sesame Dressing, Chinese
Servings: 6
2 teaspoons peanut butter
2 teaspoons tahini
2 tablespoons sugar
1/3 cup soy sauce
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1/4 cup scallion, chopped
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1/4 cup peanuts, chopped
In a food processor, combine all of the ingredients except for the chopped peanuts and process until smooth.
Mix with the peanuts and serve.
Serve over greens, egg salad, chicken salad, or meat salads.
Variation Ideas:
-Sauté the onions and garlic in oil until the onions are soft and transparent, and mix with the other ingredients by hand. Simmer for 1 minute and let cool.
-Omit either the peanut butter or the tahini and double the other ingredient.
Get Out Of The Box! cookbook www.thelword.com
Pumpkin Seed Salsa, Mexican
Servings: 4
The recipe may sound strange, but it is actually quite traditional and very, very delicious.
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
2 tablespoons lime juice, or to taste
1 teaspoon chili powder, or to taste
1 clove garlic, chopped
1/2 tablespoon cilantro, chopped fine
1/2 cup broth, hot
a pinch of cumin
salt, to taste
Roast pumpkin seeds in a non-stick pan over medium heat, constantly
shaking the pan or stirring with a spoon, until they get a light golden color.
Place the seeds in a coffee grinder or food processor and grind until smooth.
Pour the ground seeds into a food processor and add all of the ingredients and except the broth.
Process for 10 seconds to combine.
Add the broth very slowly and process until it has a puree texture. (You might need more or less broth depending on your own taste and how thick or chunky you like your salsa.)
Use over meat in tortillas or tacos; mix in with boiled vegetables; or add to soups.
Get Out Of The Box! cookbook www.thelword.com
Raspberry Dressing
Yield: 2 cups
Although I prefer my greens with a very basic lemon juice-olive oil
dressing, this recipe is so delicious that I make it whenever I find fresh raspberries!
1 cup fresh raspberries
2 ounces balsamic vinegar
1 ounce water
4 ounces olive oil
8 leaves mint
1/2 ounce sugar
Put all the ingredients into a blender or food chopper and process until smooth.
Serve over mixed greens.
Variation Ideas:
-Omit mint and use tarragon instead.
-Add 1 tablespoon of poppy seeds.
Get Out Of The Box! cookbook www.thelword.com
Red Bell Pepper Dip, Eastern
Mediterranean
Servings: 6
Serve in sandwiches and wraps; as a sauce for grilled or broiled chicken; or as a dip for ripped pita bread.
1 1/4 pounds red bell peppers, seeded and halved
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
3/4 cup walnuts
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tablespoon vinegar
1/4 cup bread crumbs, stale
1 teaspoon cumin
a pinch of sugar
salt and pepper, to taste
Roast the peppers directly over a gas burner at medium heat or under a
broiler, for 14 minutes or until the skin is blackened.
Put the peppers into a plastic bag and seal. Let sit for a couple of minutes.
Open the bag and peel off as much of the skin as you can.
Chop the peppers coarsely.
Place all the ingredients except the peppers into a food processor and
process until smooth.
Add the peppers and keep processing to make a creamy dip. If it feels too thick, add a couple of tablespoons of water or oil.
Let it rest in the refrigerator overnight.
Variation Ideas:
-Omit the vinegar; use lemon juice instead.
-Use mixed nuts like pecans, hazelnuts, and pine nuts.
-Don’t add olive oil to the food processor; instead drizzle it over the dip on the serving plate.
Get Out Of The Box! cookbook www.thelword.com
Roasted Onion and Tomato Salsa
Servings: 4
Serve on soups or with chips, tacos, or tortillas.
1 large tomato
1 medium red onion, peeled
1/4 cup cilantro, minced
4 tablespoons lime juice, or more if needed
1 small jalapeno chili pepper, halved and seeded
salt, to taste
Cut the tomato and onion into 4 wedges.
Place them with the jalapeno under a broiler or on gas burner, and cook until the skin of the tomatoes and the edges of the onions blister. Let them cool.
Mince the jalapeno and cut the onion and tomato into small pieces.
Add the rest of the ingredients and chill in the refrigerator before serving.
Get Out Of The Box! cookbook www.thelword.com
Sesame Dressing, Far East Asian
Servings: 4
Serve on greens; works especially well on spinach!
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
a pinch of sugar
black pepper, to taste
Put sesame seeds into a non-stick pan over medium heat, constantly shaking the pan or stirring with a spoon, until they get a light golden color.
Pour the toasted seeds into a bowl. Add all ingredients and whisk them together.
Get Out Of The Box! cookbook www.thelword.com
Sherry Vinegar Dressing, French
Servings: 6
This is like a jumping board to most vinegar-oil based dressings: it is wide open to try new combinations.
3 tablespoons sherry vinegar
a pinch of salt, or to taste