I know, coming back to a blog that you haven't touched in years can send the few readers who may have linked a subscription up years ago into a serious moment of head scratching, thinking, "what blog is this again?" But I had a food moment in my kitchen tonight that was a virtual Davis kitchen breakthrough, and for my own recipe file, this one is getting blogged about.
This week, when I thought and planned out menus, I was experiencing some serious recipe doldrums. I couldn't think of a single thing to cook that I hadn't already made at least once (probably twice) in the last month. But some beautiful bibb lettuce at the grocery store called to me, and the doldrums crumbled away as memories of Asian Lettuce Wraps emerged from a deep, deep slumber. The recipe is from my favorite foodie friend Lynnette's blog. I like to say that I've had exactly two cooking experiences in my life: cooking before I knew Lynnette, and cooking after I knew her. That's just the way it is. Anyhow...
I was a few ingredients short for dinner, so Briggy and I took a quick walk to the corner market to pick up scallions and hoisin sauce. I love the corner market by my house, but the supply of Chinese ingredients was limited to soy sauce, low sodium soy sauce and teriyaki sauce (perhaps that's not Chinese?). Fortunately, a quick search for hoisin sauces on my phone promised me that I could make it on my own, that it would be easy peasy, and that I'd like it better than store bought hoisin. Plus, all the needed ingredients were at home in my own kitchen. Hmmm...I don't have to spend $4.50 on a 7 ounce bottle of sauce? Maybe I will buy that ridiculously expensive organic, humanely processed ground chicken after all!
Yes, yes, that's the breakthrough I was talking about. But, not just the sauce--the combination of the whole meal. It was so easy, that I was done with the main dish before the rice had even cooked. I promise. Little lie: I had made peanut sauce for dinner the night before.
Super Easy Breakthrough Hoisin Sauce
Adapted from a "hoisin sauce recipe" google search. (Oh, alright, food.com.)
Ingredients:
1/2 c. soy sauce
2-3 T. peanut butter, creamy
1 T. honey
2 T. molasses
1 T. white vinegar
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion flakes
1 T. plus 1 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. sriracha sauce
black pepper to taste
Blend all the ingredients together until the sauce is well emulsified. Give the sauce a taste and adjust according to your desires. I upped the honey after first adding about a teaspoon, but I like it sweet. You can definitely add more sriracha if the eaters in your home can handle a little more heat.
Add to your favorite Chinese dish. Refrigerate leftover sauce. Enjoy!
1 comment:
YUM!
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