I was tied up at a meeting until about 5:30 trying to finalize details for a fundraiser I’m emceeing next Thursday at the Hotel Arts. It’s an eight-course dinner with wine and oysters prepared by some of Calgary’s best chefs, all for $150 — a special evening to raise money for Nicole Pageau. Nicole is an Edmonton woman in her 60s who watched coverage of the Rwandan genocide and decided she wanted to do something concrete. With only $5,000 in her bank account she moved from Alberta to Rwanda, found widows and orphans, and helped build a village to support them.
(That was my subtle pitch to anyone who might want to join me for dinner next Thursday.)
At last year’s fundraiser Nicole brought several Rwandan volunteers. One of them said something I’ll never forget. When asked why he devotes his life to helping widows and orphans, he answered, “I’m only human.” He sees the phrase differently than many North Americans: instead of an excuse for weakness or wrongdoing, he believes “only human” should describe compassion, honesty, and generosity. He hopes that meaning spreads.
I got home at 5:42 with no plan for dinner and opened the fridge. I found a jar of peanut sauce I’d made the week before, so I started a pot of spaghettini — a thinner spaghetti I like because it cooks quicker and holds more sauce relative to the pasta.
The beauty of peanut noodles is how flexible they are; you can add practically anything. I had carrots, which I peeled into long ribbons that twirl nicely with the pasta, a chunk of yellow pepper, and some cilantro left over from last night’s dinner. Peas, asparagus, broccoli (bagged broccoli-slaw works well), green beans, sprouts, cucumber, mango, or any leftover meat are all excellent additions. Roast chicken, pork, tofu, or even frozen shrimp can be tossed into the boiling water with the noodles to cook or thaw. I threw in some frozen shredded roast chicken with the noodles so it would thaw while they finished cooking. After draining, I reserved a small portion for someone who prefers tomato sauce, ran the rest under cool water, and tossed it with the peanut sauce and chopped vegetables. Dinner was ready by 5:58.
Peanut Sauce
Peanut sauce is wonderfully versatile. Double the recipe if you want leftovers — it’s great over cold noodles, as a dip for satays, with lettuce wraps, rice paper rolls, or grilled chicken or shrimp. Adjust the broth to make the sauce thicker or thinner. If you enjoy coconut flavor without added saturated fat, try a teaspoon of coconut extract.
2–4 Tbsp. chicken or vegetable broth or coconut milk
4 Tbsp. peanut butter (ideally pure peanuts, but any kind works)
3 Tbsp. soy sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar or honey
2 Tbsp. rice vinegar or lime juice
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 tsp. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. sesame oil (optional)
1/4–1/2 tsp. curry paste (optional)Combine all ingredients in a blender or jar and blend or shake until smooth. Chill until ready to serve. Makes about one cup.
Per tablespoon: 26 calories, 1 g total fat (0.2 g saturated), 0.7 g protein, 3.9 g carbohydrate.
While we were eating, W was unusually quiet. He came downstairs covered in a smudged, pinkish-red rash that looked greasy.
I asked if he’d drawn on himself with lipstick. He made an exaggerated nod and added, “and wall!”