08/06/2007

Recipe of the Week

Thai Pasta Salad and Spicy Peanut Dressing

This week's recipe comes from Merilyn Ueno of Traverse City, who passed it along at our request. She brought it to a recent potluck and it was a definite hit. Merilyn said she acquired it from the Record-Eagle some time back, but we couldn't trace it in our archives so here it is again.

Thai Pasta Salad

• 1 head iceberg lettuce, cored, rinsed and drained
• 4 oz. angel hair pasta or capellini (or 6-8 oz. bean thread cut to 6- to 12-inch lengths)
• ½-1 c. julienned carrots
• 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken, cooked, shredded (one whole roasted ready-to-eat grocery store chicken)
• ½-1 c. julienned green onions, cucumbers and red bell peppers
• ½-¾ c. bean sprouts
• Shredded sweetened coconut
• Spicy Peanut Dressing (recipe follows)

Refrigerate lettuce in sealed container. Cook pasta according to package directions (al dente, not too soft), adding carrots during last 3 minutes of cooking. Drain and rinse under cold running water. Chill pasta and carrots, chicken, green onions, cucumbers, peppers and sprouts in separate containers until serving time.

Prepare dressing.

Just before serving, place pasta in colander and run water over it to separate and bring to room temperature. Drain. (Merilyn used bean threads rinsed in cold water.) Shred lettuce and toss with other ingredients; sprinkle with coconut. Serves six.

Spicy Peanut Dressing

(Note: This is double the original recipe)

• ½ c. creamy peanut butter
• ¼ c. and 2 T. red wine vinegar
• ¼ c. soy sauce
• 2 T. minced fresh ginger root
• 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 t. Szechuan chili sauce or chili paste or hot sauce
• 1 t. sesame oil
• 1 t. sugar
• ½ c. water or chicken broth

Whisk all dressing ingredients except water or broth until blended. Stir in water or chicken broth; season to taste with salt.

Enjoy cooking? How would you like a new apron? We'll send a Record-Eagle "We've got you covered” apron to readers whose recipes are printed here as a Recipe of the Week. If you have a recipe , please send it to: Recipe of the Week, Record-Eagle, P.O. Box 632, Traverse City, MI 49685; fax (231) 946-8632; e-mail kgibbons@record-eagle.com.