Almond Garlic Sauce Recipes

Steps:

• 1. For the sauce, soak the beans in a generous amount of water overnight.
• 2. Using poultry sheers, cut each chicken along the backbone and remove as much of the backbone as possible. Press the chickens with your fist to flatten them slightly and then place them in a large glass dish that will fit in the refrigerator.
• 3. Combine the lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, wine, garlic, onion, and some salt and pepper in a blender and purée to make a paste. Spread the paste over the chicken and massage it into the meat. Cover the dish and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or, preferably, overnight.
• 4. The next day, drain the beans, put them in a saucepan, and add enough fresh water to cover the beans by about 3 inches. Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat, and simmer the beans until completely soft, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Drain well.
• 5. Put the beans, almonds, garlic, and vinegar in a food processor and process to a smooth paste. Gradually add the olive oil and lemon juice through the hole in the lid, processing to a thick sauce. Add the flaxseed oil and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
• 6. Preheat the broiler until very hot, prepare the grill, or preheat the oven to 350°F.
• 7. Wipe away excess marinade from the chicken, then cook under the broiler, on the barbecue or in a roasting pan in the oven until cooked through, approximately 45 minutes. Test by piercing the thickest part of the flesh with a knife: when the chicken is cooked, the juices will run clear.
• 8. Cut the chickens in half, sprinkle with the herbs, and serve with the sauce and lemon wedges.

Steps:

• Mince garlic and mash to a paste with salt using a heavy knife or a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a blender along with 1/2 cup almonds, water, oil, vinegar, hot sauce, and black pepper, then blend until dressing is very smooth, about 1 minute. Coarsely chop remaining 2 tablespoons almonds.
• Cut a lengthwise slit in peppers and discard any seeds, then cut peppers into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
• Divide romaine and peppers among 4 plates, then arrange ham on top. Drizzle each serving with some dressing and sprinkle with chopped almonds. Serve remaining dressing on the side.
• *Available at specialty foods shops, some supermarkets, and The Spanish Table (206-682-2827).

Steps:

• Make the béchamel: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1 minute without browning. Gradually whisk in milk, 1/4 cup at a time, to obtain a smooth, thick sauce. Turn heat to low, add 1/2 teaspoon salt and a generous amount of freshly ground black pepper. Continue to cook, stirring, for 4 to 5 minutes. Thin if necessary with a tablespoon or so more milk, but keep it the consistency of whipped cream.
• Make the crab mixture: Put crab meat in a mixing bowl and add warm béchamel. Stir in roasted peppers, cayenne, scallions, cilantro, and lemon zest and mix gently until ingredients are well incorporated. Taste for salt and adjust seasoning. Spread mixture on a baking sheet in a layer about 1 inch thick, cover and refrigerate until firm, about 2 hours. (The crab mixture can be prepared up to a day in advance and refrigerated.)
• Assemble the croquetas: Arrange 3 small shallow bowls on a work counter. Add 1 cup of flour to one bowl, then season it with salt and pepper. In second, add the beaten eggs. Fill the third bowl with bread crumbs. Weigh 1-ounce portions of the crab mixture and place on wax paper. Roll each portion in seasoned flour, then dip into egg and finally roll in crumbs, forming each gently into a sphere. Put breaded croquetas on a clean baking sheet and sprinkle with more crumbs. Repeat until all are breaded. Refrigerate, uncovered, until ready to fry.
• Make the garlic-almond sauce: Put almonds in a food processor and blend thoroughly, until finely ground. Add garlic and pulse to combine. With the food processor running, add a faint drizzle of olive oil as sauce thickens. The oil must be added very slowly or the sauce will separate or break. Continue adding the oil until it is all incorporated. Season sauce with salt to taste. Transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
• To fry croquetas, pour vegetable oil to depth of 2 inches in a wide, deep saucepan and place over medium-high heat. Bring oil to 375 degrees. Working in small batches, fry croquetas on each side until golden brown, about 4 minutes. (Too many in the pan risks significantly lowering the temperature of the oil.) Remove croquetas with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper-towel-lined baking sheet. Season lightly with salt and keep warm in a low oven. Repeat until all croquetas are fried. Pile them on a serving platter and serve with garlic-almond sauce for dipping.

Steps:

• Purée blanched almonds and garlic with water and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a blender until smooth.
• Cook cavatappi in a pasta pot of boiling salted water (3 tablespoons salt for 6 quarts water) until almost al dente. Reserve 3 cups pasta-cooking water and drain pasta.
• Meanwhile, heat oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch heavy skillet (preferably straight-sided) over medium heat until foam subsides.
• Add almond purée and simmer, whisking occasionally, until thickened, about 3 minutes then add 2 1/2 cups reserved cooking water, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and simmer, whisking occasionally, until slightly thickened, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Whisk in remaining 2 tablespoons butter until melted.
• Add pasta and peas and cook, stirring occasionally, until pasta is al dente (sauce will be thin), 2 to 3 minutes. Add cheese and lemon juice and stir until combined well.
• Remove from heat and stir in half of basil and mint and salt and pepper to taste. Serve pasta in bowls topped with chopped almonds, remaining herbs, and additional cheese.

Steps:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender but still firm to the bite, stirring occasionally, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.
• In a blender, combine the almonds, chicken stock, olive oil, and garlic. Blend until the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into a large skillet and turn the heat on to medium. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add the chicken, peas, cream and lemon zest. Cook, stirring frequently until the chicken is heated through, about 4 minutes (mixture will be thick). Season with salt and pepper, to taste
• Put the cooked pasta into a serving bowl and add 1/2 cup of the Parmesan. Toss together until the pasta is coated. Add the chicken mixture, the remaining cheese and the basil. Toss the ingredients together, adding the reserved pasta water, as needed, to loosen the sauce. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve.