This year for Valentine’s Day, how about lighting your sweetheart’s fire with some definitively spicy edibles? These might pair nicely with a glass of bubbly, too. When you turn up the heat, romantic sparks are likely to ignite. At the
This year for Valentine’s Day, how about lighting your sweetheart’s fire with some definitively spicy edibles? These might pair nicely with a glass of bubbly, too. When you turn up the heat, romantic sparks are likely to ignite. At the very least, you’ll start a conversation…maybe more.
Spicy peanut dip
Start the night with cocktails and an easy appetizer that can be prepared in advance, so you have more time for your sweetie. Serve with chilled asparagus spears or sugar snap peas for dipping. Recipe adapted from “Small Bites” by Jennifer Joyce; makes enough for two to share.
6 tablespoons chunky peanut butter
3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
2 tablespoons chile pepper water (or to taste)
In a small bowl, use a fork to blend ingredients. If mixture is too thick, add a little plain water. Chill until ready to use, but bring to room temperature about a half hour before serving.
Fiery grilled shrimp salad
Cool, crisp greens and refreshing mint balance the fiery dressing in this delicious salad. You can prep ingredients in advance, then assemble just before serving. Boil or stir-fry the shrimp if you don’t want to use a grill. Adapted from “James McNair Cooks Southeast Asian;” makes 2 generous servings or 4 first course servings.
2 cups mixed baby greens, washed, dried and chilled to crisp
Vegetable oil for brushing grill rack
1 pound medium or large shrimp, shell on, rinsed under cold water and patted dry
1 teaspoon minced fresh lemongrass (tender bulb portion)
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
6 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1/2 cup thinly sliced shallot
2 tablespoons thinly sliced green onion, including green tops
2 ounces snow peas, trimmed, parboiled until crisp-tender, and cooled
1/2 cup fresh whole small mint leaves
3 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
Lime slices for garnish (optional)
Prepare salad greens and refrigerate until serving time. Heat grill. When fire is ready, brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Place shrimp on rack and grill, turning once, until shrimp shells turn bright pink and meat is just opaque (four to five minutes). Remove from grill; cool on a plate. In a bowl, combine lemongrass, cilantro, lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and curry paste; blend well. When shrimp are cool enough to handle, peel and devein. Add shrimp to fish sauce mixture, along with shallot, green onion and snow peas; toss well. Line a serving plate with chilled greens; sprinkle with mint and basil leaves. Using a slotted utensil, remove shrimp and snow peas from dressing and arrange on greens. Drizzle dressing over salad. Garnish with lime slices and serve immediately.
Spicy skirt steak with cinnamon
Skirt steak cooks quickly, which leaves more time for romance. Slice thinly against the grain for a tender, juicy entree. Recipe from “Great Food Without Fuss” by Frances McCullough and Barbara Witt; makes two servings.
1 1/2 pounds skirt steak
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped onion
2 ripe plum tomatoes, coarsely chopped
1 cup veal stock or canned low sodium beef broth
2 dried pasilla or ancho chile peppers
2 jalapeno peppers or 1 serrano pepper, seeds removed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
Pat steak dry. Heat a heavy 12-inch skillet over high heat without oil. Add meat; sear well, about two minutes per side. Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Add salt, onion, tomatoes, stock, dried peppers, jalapenos and cinnamon to pan; cook five minutes for medium-rare, turning once. Remove steak to a platter and keep warm in oven while finishing sauce. Transfer contents of skillet to a food process or blender; puree until smooth. Strain through a sieve with large holes to remove seeds and skins. If puree is too thin to make a sauce, return to skillet and cook over high heat, stirring, until reduced enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove steak from oven, place on a cutting board, and slice thinly. Arrange on a warm serving platter, pour sauce over, and sprinkle with chopped cilantro. Serve hot.
Chili-soaked grilled chicken
Like a satay, this chicken gets its heat from a soy-lime-chile pepper bath prior to cooking. Serve with sweet Indonesian Catsup (recipe follows) to balance the heat. Recipe from “Big Flavors of the Hot Sun” by Chris Schlesinger and John Willoughby; makes 4 servings.
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 cup minced fresh red or green chili pepper
1/4 cup lime juice
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon fresh cracked pepper
Cut chicken breasts into slices about a half-inch thick and 3 inches long; thread onto skewers. Place skewers in a single layer in a large shallow pan. In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients; mix well. Pour marinade over chicken in pan; let sit for three to four hours, covered and refrigerated, turning once or twice. Remove chicken skewers, discard marinade and grill skewers over medium-hot fire until browned on outside and opaque on inside, two to three minutes per side. Place skewers on serving platter and serve with a bowl of the catsup for dipping.
Indonesian catsup:
1/2 cup molasses
1/2 cup soy sauce
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
2 tablespoons fresh cracked pepper
In a medium saucepan, combine all ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer seven to 10 minutes, stirring frequently until mixture has thickened slightly. Remove from heat. Mixture may seem liquid, but will thicken after refrigeration. Keeps, covered and refrigerated, for several months. Makes about 2 cups.
