We’re all been told that you need to man up and play the hand that’s dealt you in life – like it or not.
Sometimes that hand sucks. Sometimes that hand is a winner. Sometimes that hand is a major winner.
For those of us in the sun-starved Puget Sound lowlands, we’ve been dealt a major winning hand this week in terms of weather – temperatures pushing into the low 70s with near cloudless skies have the natives confused, trees and flowers blooming and even a sundress or two venturing out and about.
Most importantly – it’s time to grill.
Recognizing our penchant for funky fusion foods, a friend fired this recipe over a few weeks ago and said it was a killer southwestern spin on a satay inspired peanut sauce just made for medium-rare pork tenderloin or thick-cut pork chops just off the grill.
Quick enough to cobble together as your coals are burning down, this sauce is basically a mix and stir venture – as long as you have some red chile puree in the freezer (and if you don’t, you should).
We found ourselves adding a touch more peanut butter and minced chipotles the second time around; this one is worth fiddling with and a sauce you’ll come back to more than once this summer.
1 and 1/2 cups red chile puree (below)
1 and 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
3-4 chipotle chiles, minced
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tbsp. malt vinegar
2 tbsp. soy sauce
1 tbsp. full grain Dijon mustard
1 tsp. granulated garlic
1 tsp. onion powderRed Chile Puree
5 dried chiles de arbol
4 ounces dried ancho chiles
3 ounces dried guajillo chiles
4 cups boiling water
[Red chile puree. If you don’t have some of this tucked away in the freezer you’ll need to whip some up. It’s a cinch if not a bit messy.
Toast the ancho and guajillo chiles in a skillet over medium heat; one to two minutes per side. You’re looking for the chiles to soften a bit and (key) become notably fragrant. Cool; stem, seed and cut / tear into small pieces.
Put all the chiles in a large bowl; add the boiling water and let stand for at least an hour, covered. Drain, reserving a cup of the soaking liquid. Now puree the chiles, adding up to a cup of soaking liquid.
Finally, pour the puree into a coarse sieve set over a bowl; force the puree through the sieve, scraping the outer sieve to capture all that chile goodness. Discard the bits of coarse, toasted chile peel left over.
We make a big batch and freeze in smaller containers and ice cube trays to have handy – you’ll be amazed at how handy that is…]
Make a sauce. Combine the entire ingredient roster in a nonreactive saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring frequently until the peanut butter has melted and the sauce is nice and smooth.
Cool to room temperature and serve.
Enjoy.
