Quick Spicy Pickle

1 English Cucumber

1/2 Sweet Yellow Onion

1 Serrano Pepper

1/4 cup White Wine Vinegar

1 Tablespoon Sugar

Dash of Sea Salt and Black Pepper

Peel (if desired) cucumber and chop off each end.  Thinly shave cucumber on slicer side of boxed grater (or slice by hand or use a mandolin).  Set aside.  In a glass jar add vinegar, sugar, cucumber and salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Finely slice onion into 2 inch peices.  Add to jar.  Remove stem from serrano pepper and thinly slice into rounds or smaller moon shapes.  For extra spicy, leave seeds and ribs of pepper in tact.  For less spicy, remove seeds and ribs using a small spoon.  Add pepper to jar.  Seal lid tightly and shake.  Allow to sit on counter for at least 5 minutes to ensure sugar has dissolved.  Shake again and serve or refrigerate unused portion.  Garnish with chopped peanuts and fresh cilantro if you like.  Voila!  Quick Spicy Pickle!  Easy as pie!

Zucchini Sesame Chutney

2 small or 1 medium zucchini

1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

1/2 teaspoon black sesame seeds

1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

1/2 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (or sambal)

1/2 teaspoon sugar or agave nectar

Salt and Pepper (to taste)

Slice zucchini into bite size peices (okay to leave seeds and skin in tact.). Toss with remaining ingredients and allow to sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes.  Serve immediately or refrigerate unused portion.  Makes a great stand alone dish or serve alongside your favorite rice or noodles.

Thai Cucumber Salad

2 medium cucumbers

1/2 small red onion

1 inch knob fresh ginger

2/3 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

3 Tablespoons sugar

Juice of 1 lemon (or lime)

1 teaspoon Tamari

1 teaspoon black sesame seeds

1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

1/4 cup fresh cilantro

Handful of chopped peanuts (optional garnish)

Slice cucumbers lengthwise, scrape out seeds and discard.  Slice cucumbers into  1/2 inch chunks.  Thinly slice and chop red onion.  Remove tough outer skin from ginger and mince as finely as possible.  Add all ingredients into a large glass bowl and toss to combine.  Cover and allow to sit for about 30 minutes.  Serve immediately and refrigerate unused portion for up to 2 days.  Garnish with chopped peanuts if desired.

Cucumber Salad Jar

1 Large English Cucumber

1 Fresh Jalapeno Pepper

1 Small Sweet Yellow Onion

1/2 Cup Rice Wine Vinegar

4 Tablespoons Sugar

1 teaspoon Salt

Optional Garnish (for serving)

1/4 Cup chopped Roasted Peanuts

1/4 Cup chopped Cilantro 

Remove peels from cucumber, cut in half lengthwise and slice into thin slices.  Chop onion and slice thinly.  Remove stems and seeds from jalapeno and mince finely.  Toss together with salt in a collander and set over larger bowl.  Allow to sit for 1 hour and discard liquid from bowl.  Rinse thoroughly and set aside.  In a small saucepan combine vinegar and sugar.  Simmer until sugar is dissolved and liquid has reduced by approximately one-third.  Remove from heat.  Put cucumber mixture into a pint jar.  Pour liquid over mixture.  Seal lid on jar tightly and give it a good shake.  Allow to cool to room temperature and refrigerate until ready to serve.  Garnish with peanuts and cilantro if desired.

Tis the Season - Best Coleslaw Ever - Recipes Remixed

This recipe requires that you make two other recipes listed on my blog a day or two ahead but it is well worth the effort.  And besides, you know you are just itching to make the hot sauces on my blog.  I mean, come on, who doesn't love to show off homemade hot sauces?  Especially in the summer heat when you have dozens of camp outs and picnics you will be attending.  Why not show off a bit?!  My husband and I agreed it is the best coleslaw we have ever tasted.  Why not venture out and make a batch?  I dare you!

So first things first, make a batch of this 5 Alarm Serrano Chile Sauce:
http://chumbutt.blogspot.com/2013/06/5-alarm-serrano-chile-sauce.html
Yes, it's time consuming but this stuff keeps in your fridge for days and days and goes good on everything.  Suck it up.

Then make a batch of this Hot Passionfruit Dip:
http://chumbutt.blogspot.com/2013/06/hot-passionfruit-dip.html
Easy as pie!

Ok, now that you have some beautiful Christmas colored sauces taking up space in your refrigerator, let's make some slaw!

Best Coleslaw Ever
1 Bag of Coleslaw Mix (at least I have some shortcuts right?!)
2 Ears of Fresh White Corn (kernels removed)
1/8 of Yellow Onion (finely diced)
1/2 Bunch of Fresh Cilantro (finely chopped)
3 Tablespoons 5 Alarm Serrano Chile Sauce (suggest to make this ahead of time)
2 Tablespoons Hot Passionfruit Dip (suggest to make this ahead of time)
Salt and Pepper to taste

In a large bowl add all ingredients and toss thoroughly.  Do a taste test for seasoning level.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.  Be aware, salad will lose some of it's "crunch" if it is refrigerated, however, the flavors will be bright and unlike any slaw you have ever tasted.  I guarantee it.  Let me know what you think.

Creamy Red Potato Salad

I have never been a huge fan of potato salad partly because so often it is defined by the slop that comes out of the deli counter brought to a potluck by someone.  However, growing up my Mom made several varieties of potato salad some of which I liked more than others.  This super simple recipe is inspired by her and I wholeheartedly recommend it to potato salad lovers and those who, like me, want to give it a second chance.  The lemon and fresh parsley brightens up the dish while the strong presence of garlic is balanced by the creaminess of boiled red skinned potatoes.  Enjoy.

Creamy Red Potato Salad

8 small Red Potatoes

6 cloves Fresh Garlic (pressed)

4 heaping Tablespoons Vegenaise

1/2 cup Fresh Curly Parsley (chopped finely)

Juice of 1 Lemon

Salt and Pepper to taste

Cover potatoes with cold water and a scant handful of salt.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 1 hour or until potatoes are fork tender.  Turn off heat, remove potatoes and place in a large dish to cool slightly.  Place remaining ingredients in a bowl and whisk to combine.  When potatoes are cool enough to handle, chop them into large bite sized cubes.  Add dressing and carefully toss to coat.  Taste test for seasoning and moisture level.  Serve immediately or store in refrigerator until ready to serve.

Rainbow Summer Salsa

This recipe makes for a fairly spicy salsa however you can easily tone down the heat to tailor it to your liking.  To tone down the heat level just use half or one-third the amount of Serrano Peppers or omit them entirely.  The other Sweet Pepper medley called for in this recipe is not spicy.

Rainbow Summer Salsa

6-8 Small Campari Tomatoes on the Vine

4-6 Small Sweet Bell Peppers (Red, Orange and Yellow)

1 Small Yellow Onion

2-6 Serrano Chile Peppers (remove stems, ribs and seeds)

1/4 cup fresh or frozen Yellow Corn

1/4 cup fresh or frozen Edamame

1/2 bunch fresh Cilantro

4 cloves fresh Garlic (finely minced)

Juice of 3 Limes

1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt

1/4 teaspoon finely ground Black Pepper

1/4 teaspoon Sugar (optional)

Finely dice all vegetables, tomatoes, garlic and cilantro (except corn and edamame) and add to large glass bowl.  Add corn, edamame, lime juice, salt, pepper and sugar.  Toss to combine and allow to sit covered on counter for 15 minutes before serving.  Best served at room temperature.  Refrigerate any unused portion.  Serve with your favorite tortilla chips or eat it with a spoon.

Chef's note:  If you use a food processor to mince vegetables, do peppers, onions, garlic and cilantro first by pulsing slowly and then tomatoes and be careful not to turn mixture into a puree!

Kicked Up Cucumber Slaw

Refreshing with a kick! The touch of Sriracha rounds out the rhythm of this multi-flavored beauty. Feel free to add other favorite vegetables to tailor your taste buds.

1 large English Cucumber (thinly sliced)
4 Carrots (thinly sliced)
1 Sweet Yellow Onion (thinly sliced)
1 Red Bell Pepper (minced)
1 two inch peice fresh Ginger (thinly sliced or grated)
1 clove fresh Garlic (crushed)
1 cup Rice Wine or White Balsamic Vinegar
1/3 cup Sugar(dissolved in vinegar)
1 teaspoon Soy Sauce or Tamari
1 Tablespoon Toasted Sesame Oil
1 teaspoon Sriracha
Salt and Pepper to taste

Toss all ingredients and chill in airtight container in fridge for 3 hours or more. Makes a great side dish and pairs well a top Hummus. Enjoy!