Grill, Baby, Grill!
Living in the country has its pros and cons. One of the cons is a dearth of good restaurants. Oh, we have hundreds of restaurants within a ten mile radius, but only a handful are worth the drive. That's why we eat mostly at home, with friends. However, when you entertain a lot, it becomes increasingly difficult to come up with interesting dishes that "wow" your food-loving friends but don't take all week to make.
When I first tasted black mole in Mexico I was floored. I asked the abuelita who made it if it was difficult to prepare. She replied that it was not difficult at all: "On the first day..."
I guess it's all relative.
However, if you are like me you don't have anywhere near that kind of time. With that in mind, the following recipe for the sweet chile sauce is simple to prepare and will accompany both meat and fish beautifully. Best of all, it is still light enough for summer. Here are three completely different summertime meal ideas that take advantage of one easy to prepare master sauce. Two of which use the grill and one that can be prepared indoors if it rains on your parade.
Filled with spices and herbs, this zingy and zesty sauce will spruce up any dish.
Grilled Hanger Steaks with Roasted Potatoes and Crème Fraîche
A relatively inexpensive cut of meat gets a boost of flavor from the sweet chile sauce.
Seared Diver Scallops with Vegetable Stir-Fry
Quickly seared scallops develop a beautiful crust like the ones in this photo.
Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Crispy Rice Cake and Asparagus
Lean tenderloins benefit from a sweet sauce, especially when paired with crisp vegetables.