Alis Green Sauce Recipes

ALI'S GREEN SAUCE

Steps:

• Place tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, and jalapenos in a saucepan, and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, drain, and allow to cool.
• Place avocados, the cooked vegetables, sour cream, and cilantro in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

AJI VERDE (PERUVIAN GREEN CHILI SAUCE)

Steps:

• Some recipes call for cilantro leaves only, but I threw in the stems as well to add some liquid to the sauce. I know cilantro is an acquired taste, so substitute with iceberg or romaine lettuce if you want a neutral taste but want to retain the green color.
• Halve and de-seed the chili peppers. Make sure you wear gloves or thoroughly wash your hands afterward. And don't rub your eyes!
• Puree all the ingredients in a blender, food processor, or hand immersion blender. It's like making pesto, start with the basic portions and adjust according to your taste. What worked for me was roughly those amounts. Add mayonnaise for creaminess. You can add water too if the sauce appears too thick. I've seen some recipes that called for white cheese or nuts, but felt those were too strong in taste since the versions of aji sauce that I've liked were light in flavor, with just an undertone of spiciness.
• Serve with bread for dipping.

CHICKEN AND SWEET POTATO ENCHILADA CASSEROLE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Coat a 9-by-13 inch baking dish with cooking spray and set aside.
• Prepare the enchilada sauce. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering, add the arrowroot powder and whisk until combined, about 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce, broth, chili powder, cumin, garlic powder and salt to taste.
• Bring to a simmer, then reduce the heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, until thickened, 15 to 20 minutes.
• While the enchilada sauce cooks, spiralize the sweet potatoes. Trim the ends, then slice halfway through the sweet potatoes lengthwise, careful not to pierce through the center. Spiralize to yield chip slices. Set aside.
• Spread 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce on the bottom of the baking dish. Arrange a third of the sweet potato slices in a single layer, overlapping slightly to cover up any little gaps. Sprinkle half of the beans, half of the chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, half of the spinach and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce evenly over the sweet potato slices. Repeat, starting with a third of the sweet potato slices, then the remaining beans and chicken, 1 cup of the cheese, the remaining spinach and 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce. Finish the casserole with the remaining sweet potatoes slices and spread the remaining enchilada sauce over top. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
• Bake the casserole for 40 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle with the remaining 1 cup of cheese. Bake until the cheese melts and the casserole bubbles, about 5 minutes. Let cool for at least 10 minutes, then top with the avocado and cilantro before serving.

OLLIE GATES'S BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together sugar, salt, celery seed, cumin, red pepper, and garlic and chili powders. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add dry ingredients, and mix well. Serve warm or at room temperature.

CREAMY AJI GREEN SAUCE

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and mix into a sauce. Add seasoning, then pour into a serving bowl.

HOT-SAUCE SHRIMP

Steps:

• Pat the shrimp dry and season with 1 teaspoon salt. Put the butter and hot sauce in a large bowl.
• Heat the oil in a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet over high. Add the scallions and cook until softened and browned in spots, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the scallions to the bowl with the butter and hot sauce.
• Add the shrimp to the skillet in a single layer and cook, undisturbed, until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes, adding more oil if the pan is dry. Flip and cook until opaque all the way through, 1 to 2 minutes more.
• Transfer the shrimp and any juices to the butter, hot sauce and scallions. Toss vigorously until the butter is melted and the shrimp is glossy. Taste, and add more hot sauce and salt as needed.

SLOW-COOKER SUNDAY SAUCE

Steps:

• In a 6- to 8-quart slow cooker, add the crushed tomatoes and basil sprigs. Season the pork shoulder all over with salt and pepper.
• In a large Dutch oven, heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium-high. Working in batches if necessary, cook the pork until browned on two sides, 8 to 10 minutes total, adding more oil if the pan looks dry. Transfer pieces to the slow cooker as they finish. Add the sausages to the pot and cook until browned, 4 to 6 minutes total. Transfer to the slow cooker.
• Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons oil, if needed, and the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until softened, 2 to 4 minutes. Add the red wine, stirring to scrape up the browned bits on the bottom of the pot, and cook until the wine is nearly evaporated, 2 to 4 minutes. Scrape the onion-wine mixture into the slow cooker, and stir to combine. Add the meatballs on top. (It's OK if they're sticking out of the sauce.) Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours, until the pork shoulder falls apart when shredded with a fork.
• When you're ready to eat, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package instructions until al dente. While the pasta boils, slice the sausage and shred the pork shoulder on a cutting board, and leave it there. When the pasta is al dente, reserve ½ cup pasta water, then drain and return the pasta to the pot. Over medium heat, toss the pasta with enough sauce to coat (about 4 cups), adding pasta water as needed until the sauce clings to the pasta. (Some meatballs might end up in the pasta pot; that's OK.) Return the sausage and pork shoulder to the remaining sauce in the slow cooker.
• Divide pasta between bowls, then top with a bit of each meat. Pass the Parmesan and extra meat and sauce at the table.

GREEN GODDESS SALAD

Steps:

• Tip the dressing ingredients into a jar with a splash of water and shake well.
• Tip the salad into a bowl and keep in the fridge for up to a day. Before serving, dress the salad.

ALI'S GREEN SAUCE

Steps:

• Place tomatoes, tomatillos, garlic, and jalapenos in a saucepan, and add enough water to cover. Bring to a boil, and cook for 15 minutes, or until vegetables are tender. Remove from heat, drain, and allow to cool.
• Place avocados, the cooked vegetables, sour cream, and cilantro in a blender or food processor, and blend until smooth. Season to taste with salt. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.