Spicy Seafood Dipping Sauce

SPICY SEAFOOD DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Grill garlic and chiles: Preheat charcoal grill according to grill directions to medium heat, about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, peel garlic; slice larger cloves in half. Skewer garlic and place on the grill. Remove chile stems, skewer sideways, and place on the grill. Grill garlic and chiles for 8-10 minutes, flipping after 4 minutes. Note: Alternatively, garlic and chiles can be charred in the oven. Preheat to broil. Place on a baking sheet 4-6 inches under the heat source for 6-8 minutes, flipping halfway through, until both sides are charred.
• Cilantro: Place a cloth towel under the mortar to keep it stable. Trim half of the cilantro stems, roughly chop, and place in the mortar along with the salt. Use pestle to pound the stems and salt into a paste. Finely chop remaining cilantro bunch (stems and leaves); set aside.
• Sauce: Garlic and chiles are done when they're soft, cooked through, and lightly charred. Remove from skewers and place into the mortar. Pound into the cilantro-salt mixture to break the ingredients down to a smooth paste. Add sugar, lime juice, and fish sauce to the mortar; stir around to combine. Add 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro (if there's any remaining, save for another recipe); transfer to a bowl and serve. Makes about ¾ cup. You can store it in the refrigerator in a sealed container for several days, but it tastes best immediately after it's made.

SWEET AND SPICY DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir the vinegar and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely, 7 to 10 minutes; add the salt, reduce heat to low, and simmer until the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir the chili garlic sauce into the mixture. Allow to cool slightly before serving.

SPECIAL SPICY SEAFOOD SAUCE

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate until serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

SPICY ASIAN DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix all ingredients in a small saucer. Adjust the amount of each ingredient according to your preference for spiciness.
• Use for dipping or as a dressing.

SHRIMP WITH DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• In a large nonstick skillet, heat the first five ingredients for 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add Shrimp and onions; stir-fry for 4-5 minutes or until shrimp turn pink. Combine sauce ingredients; serve with shrimp.

SHELLFISH BOIL WITH SPICY GREEN DIPPING SAUCE

Steps:

• Cook bacon in pot (a.k.a. boiler) over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 5-8 minutes. Add onions and fennel and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden and tender, 8-10 minutes. Add wine, salt, and 15 quarts cold water; cover pot and bring stock to a rolling boil. Cook 30 minutes.
• Stir chili-garlic sauce and Old Bay into stock; increase heat to high. Place potatoes in basket insert and carefully lower into pot. Cover pot and return stock to a boil; cook 10 minutes. Add lobsters, mussels, clams, and corn to basket, cover, and return to a boil, about 5 minutes. Add shrimp, turn off heat, and let sit, covered, until just cooked through, about 5 minutes. Stir in 16 cups ice water and let sit, covered, 15 minutes to infuse. Meanwhile, whisk chiles, lime zest, lime juice, oil, vinegar, and sugar in a small bowl. Let sauce sit at room temperature 30 minutes to let flavors meld.
• Carefully lift out basket and place on a rimmed baking sheet. Arrange potatoes, corn, lobsters, clams, mussels, and shrimp on several layers of newspapers to absorb excess moisture; discard stock. Stir basil and mint into sauce and serve alongside seafood and vegetables.

SPICY SEAFOOD SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine mayonnaise, ketchup, hot sauce, lemon juice, paprika, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce in a bowl. Whisk together until no clumps remain.