Spicy Peanut Sauce

Spicy Thai Peanut Sauce

• 3 garlic cloves, minced
•  1/2 t dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
•  1 T vegetable or peanut oil
•  1 T tomato paste
•  4 T creamy peanut butter (as in Jif or Skippy)
•  3 T hoisin sauce
•  1/2 t sugar
•  3/4 cup water

In a small saucepan cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden. Whisk in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer sauce, whisking, until thickened, about 1 minute. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.

Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.

Slather this sauce on spring or summer rolls, pork or chicken satays, or your finger.

Wine recommendations
Value-priced: Smoking Loon Viognier, ’02 ($9) from California
Well-priced:  Dr. Loosen Riesling, '02 ($13) from Germany
Fun-match:  Domaine Zind Humbrecht Gewurztraminer