The Older Bolder Life Salad Monday: Red Pepper Cashew Dressing

A friend recently dined at Lalito in NYC and fell in love with several of the nut-based salad dressings they offer there; she did a bit of investigating and charmed this ingredient list (since adjusted and tweaked) out of one of the staff.

This Red Pepper Cashew Dressing brings together several flavor combinations you don’t often find together, such as cashews and fish sauce and cashews and garlic for example, but it just works, and works really well.

Being long-time fans of a spicy Thai-styled peanut sauce for years, we like this one spiced up with the red pepper flakes, but you don’t have to go overboard with the heat. Leave out the honey if you wish, but it does add just a hint of sweetness that rounds out the flavor package nicely.

3/4 cup roasted, salted cashews/cashew pieces
6 tbsp avocado or mild olive oil
1/3 cup water (or just a bit more)
1-2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 tsp good fish sauce
1 tsp honey
1 large garlic clove
Salt to taste

Add everything but the salt to your trusty blender or food processor, blend/process until smooth and creamy, noting that you may need just a bit more water.

Taste and adjust the seasonings, we nearly always add more salt and red pepper flakes.

Hold in the fridge if not using immediately.

Enjoy.