April 26, 2024

Sriracha Butter

Sriracha Butter resize

Are you a griller?  Admittedly, I am not.  The two things I avoid, as far as cooking goes, are baking with yeast (it hates me and refuses to cooperate) and the grill.  I love it when my husband or my Dad grill up something, and I will prepare everything for the fire—as long as I am not the one doing it.  Why?  I don’t know.  I’ve never done it and I guess I’m intimidated.  So even though we live in sunny Southern California, we eat pan-fried steaks much more often than grilled.  Sound boring?  Not when you serve them with Sriracha Butter!

This is a Martha Stewart recipe I found in the back of her magazine this summer.  If you haven’t tried it yet, Sriracha is a brand of hot sauce that is beloved for it’s spicy, fruity bite.  If you don’t have Sriracha handy, try another hot sauce – just not something that’s got too much fire!  The other ingredient that makes this butter special is the anchovies.  I didn’t have any, but I always have a tube of anchovy paste in my fridge (for this Caesar salad recipe and this Green Goddess dressing).  HINT: Any time you see an anchovy fillet in a recipe, you can substitute one inch of anchovy paste.

We ate this on sirloin steaks that were very lean, so the added flavor and fat from the butter were a welcome addition.  My spice-shy daughter loved it and even put some on her steamed cauliflower!  Ready to try it?  Let’s go!

Sriracha Butter

Ingredients:

  • 1 stick butter, softened
  • 2 anchovy fillets, minced (or use a 2-inch squeeze of anchovy paste)
  • 1 tablespoon Sriracha or other chili sauce
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • salt to taste (I didn’t add any extra salt to mine)

Directions:

  1. Mash the softened butter together with the anchovies, Sriracha, and garlic.  Taste to see if you want any more salt.  Refrigerate until ready to use.  Melt on steaks, cooked vegetables, or potatoes.

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce


Chicken Satay

Finally, summer is here!  That means lots of grilling at our house.  One of my favorite things to grill are skewers.  You can get so creative with what you thread on those sticks!  Veggie kabobs are a must, with juicy mushrooms, sweet-and-spicy onions, and bell peppers.  Keep the skewers close at hand for this easy recipe:  Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce!

I use boneless, skinless chicken thighs here, although you could use skinless breasts instead. Everything else should be easy to procure.  These are best when they’ve had a chance to marinate for at least 2 hours, but don’t let the chicken marinate more than eight hours, or the chicken will start to break down.

If you have any leftover skewers, these mildly spiced chicken bites make a fantastic salad!  Just chop them up and toss with salad greens, lots of cucumber, and red or yellow bell pepper.  Make the peanut sauce into a salad dressing by buzzing in a blender with a little water or more oil. Delightful!

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

Ingredients:

Chicken Satay:

  • 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken thighs
  • 1 cup plain yogurt
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger (use powdered if you can’t find fresh)
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro
  • juice from 1/2 lemon or lime
  • wooden skewers, soaked in water for 30 minutes, or use metal skewers

Peanut Sauce:

  • 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 3 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce of your choice
  • juice from 1/2 lemon or lime
  • 1 teaspoon coconut oil or olive oil
  • optional:  a few dashes of nam pla (Thai fish sauce)

Directions:

  1. Slice the chicken thighs into 1″-wide strips
  2. Mix together the rest of the chicken satay ingredients and stir in the chicken.  Cover and refrigerate for two hours (or longer, up to 8 hours).
  3. While the chicken is marinating, make the Spicy Peanut Sauce.  Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth.  Refrigerate until ready to serve.
  4. When the grill is hot, thread the marinated chicken onto the skewers.  Grill for 5-8 minutes per side.  Serve with Spicy Peanut Sauce and more chopped cilantro.

 

Explore, experiment, enjoy! — Dana


To view even more of Dana’s unique recipe, you can visit her at Frugal Girlmet!