I’m writing this article and the sun is splitting the rocks outside , everyone is away to the beach posting their snaps and photos on Facebook and I am taking a wee break. It’s 25° outside so the summer must be here folks!
This means barbecue season as well but I’ve already given you some barbecue tips so I’m not going to start that again.
But how about some dressings and dips to go with your favourite salads.
by chef Martin Anderson
In Sonder we use a serious amount of dressings for our salads. My own rocket & garlic pesto is a blend of peppery rocket , fresh garlic , basil & light oil , it’s so tasty & served on our mixed leaves & salad plate.
The Caeser recipe I gave you a few weeks ago it also popular, our Sriracha dressing is a blend of mayonnaise and Sriracha marinate , so tasty , spicy and it has a unique flavour.
Some of these are oil or mayonnaise based sauces and of course can be served separate when requested.
This week though I have some really tasty dips & dressings for you. The first is avocado hummus. This is so easy to make and the ingredients are available in most good supermarkets , make this hummus a day before you use it and serve it well chilled . Slices of toasted crust bread smothered in this are so tasty , of course you can serve it with crackers , sticks of raw vegetables or even as a spread for pitta pockets.
The pesto recipe is best made and served straight away. It can however be kept for a few days in the fridge but do allow it to come to room temperature before serving, this allows the oil to warm up , use as a dressing for salads , you may mix it through freshly cooker pasta or drizzle over homemade pizza , so tasty.
I’m amazed at how there are jars of salsa on the shelves of supermarkets , they are expensive, full of sugar & water and if you just read the ingredients you would realise they are a rip off – in my opinion.
Take a look at the recipe below and you will see how easy it is to make real salsa instead of the jars of watery rubbish that are for sale , salsa is supposed to be chunky , tasty and made fresh of course if your content dipping your nachos in overpriced tomato sauce , work away but give mine a go and you’ll see.
The final recipe is for a honey and mustard dressing. If you stick your head out the window you will probably get hit on the face with a piece of honey and mustard chicken , so over rated now with the gloopy jars of it that are available. I shudder to think what its like , it looks like wallpaper paste mixed with frog spawn , ughhhh!
When I had the cookery school I was making honey and mustard dressing when the rest were still making egg mayonnaise or drowning good prawns in pink sauce, ah will they ever learn!
My recipe uses runny honey, that is a good liquid honey. Use a good whole grain mustard and don’t be tight and use powered ginger , use the fresh and you may grate it with the skin on it give that extra kick and it will taste so good.
That’s it for this week , I’m going to make a prediction that by the time you read this the weather will have broken and we will have had torrential rain!
You know how I know this – because I’m off Sunday and it always rains on my day off ! Enjoy your dipping and dressings.
Follow us on Facebook www.Facebook.com/sonder2016
Or add me on snapchat username @cheftothestars for a behind the scenes glimpse of a chefs life and just how fresh of food is in Sonder .
Thank you
Avocado hummus
Serve as a dressing or dip.
You will need.
2 ripe avocado skinned & stone removed .
Juice of one lemon.
1 tsp of garlic paste.
Seasoning.
2 dessert spoons of tahini /sesame seed puree.
450 of tinned chickpeas .
Method.
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
Pesto dressing.
You will need.
2 packets Fresh basil leaves.
50g Pine nuts.
2 tsp of Garlic paste.
1 inch piece of Parmesan cheese , grated
Seasoning.
A good olive oil.
Method.
Place all the ingredients into a blender and blend at a low speed
Hot and spicy salsa.
You will need.
2 beef tomatoes.de-seeded and chopped or one 450g tin of chopped tomatoes .
2 cloves of Chopped garlic.
1 Chopped chilli , leave the seeds in for an added kick
20g of Chopped coriander.
Seasoning.
The juice of one lemon
Method
Combine all the ingredients together and season.
Honey and wholegrain mustard dressing.
You will need.
1/2 jar or Runny honey.
1 tablespoon of Whole grain mustard.
Dash of lemon juice.
1 inch piece of Grated ginger.
Method.
Combine all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
Simply shake and serve as required.
