A new obsession

I love condiments. Our fridge door alone is home to at least 50 different sauces, spreads, toppings, and dressings. I have written before about my love for "Rooster Sauce" on my Saucy Sauces post, but I think I have a new favorite: "Goya Adobo All Purpose Seasoning With Pepper". I guess it's not exactly a condiment, but it definitely can be used to season food - both during and after cooking. This particular variety of the Goya staple is made from Salt, Tricalcium Phosphate (whatever that is - eek!), Granulated Garlic, Black Pepper, Oregano, and Turmeric. I have been finding new uses for Adobo everyday...and not just in Latin foods. In the last couple of weeks I have used Adobo:
to season sauteed spinach

to season homemade marinara sauce
in black beans
on pizza
on popcorn (yum!)

Since salt is the main ingredient in Adobo seasoning, you should probably sprinkle with care, but I definitely reccomend trying it out.

Pickled Red Onions

Here's another recipe review for the CHOW's Cookbook of the Month, this time for "Red Onion Pickles" from Judy Rodgers' The Zuni Cafe Cookbook (pg. 270).

I love all things pickled and these beautiful bright pink onions might quickly become a new favorite. The recipe is a little time consuming (with three repetitions of a simmering and cooling process), but it ended up being easier than I expected...and very delicious! I just made them today, so I have only sampled them on their own. I can only imagine, however, all of the fabulous uses for these gorgeous little rings - sandwhiches, salads, burgers...

Saucy Sauces

I love sauces and condiments. And these days it's easy to find yummy Asian-style prepared dipping sauces, but if you want to try your hand at making your own (and have a few asian ingredients on hand), here are a couple of good recipes:

Peanut Sauce
1/2 cup natural-style creamy peanut butter
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 small garlic clove, mashed to a paste
1 teaspoon Sriracha chile-garlic paste (what i like to call "rooster sauce")
1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
Juice of 1 lime or lemon
1/4 cup warm water

Combine all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl. Stir until well combined, adding more water to thin the sauce if necessary.


Easy Chili Dipping Sauce (Nuoc Cham)
In Vietnamese cuisine, no meal is considered complete without this sauce which is used as freely as salt and pepper. If you are vegetarian or if, like me, vietnamese fish sauce just isn't your favorite, you can substitute soy sauce for the fish sauce.

1 small fresh chile pepper or 1 teaspoon Sriracha paste (here's the rooster again)
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
3 teaspoons sugar
1 fresh lime
2 tablespoons fish sauce (nuoc mam - available at Asian markets and many supermarkets) OR soy sauce
3 tablespoons water

Mix all ingredients well.

Roasted Corn Salsa

This quick and easy salsa is impressive and makes a great addition to a party snack table or a mexican or latin dinner. The family who I worked for as a nanny made this often and it always makes me think of them.


2 cups corn kernels (defrosted and drained if frozen)
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 medium tomatoes, diced
1 small jalapeño, seeded and minced
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
juice of 1 lime
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450.
Mix corn and minced garlic with olive oil. Spread on cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until corn kernels are a dark golden brown. Watch so that garlic does not burn.

Let corn cool before stirring it with remaining ingredients. Serve with tortilla chips or as a side dish.