Condiments and garnishes are a way to round out a dish at the last second, with a colorful, herbaceous drizzle; a crunchy, salty scattering; or another complementary flourish.
I don’t add ingredients to a dish for the sake of their appearance alone, but there are certain flavor-packed condiments I also appreciate for their visual panache. In this section, you’ll learn how to accent a variety of dishes with forest green Pesto, speckled with Parmesan cheese and pulverized pine nuts; creamy, glossy and garlicky Aïoli; rust-colored Saffron Aïoli; and neon Basil Oil. I also like condiments for their convenience; most of them can be made in advance and kept in the refrigerator for a last-second grab.
Unlike condiments, which can be stirred into a soup or stew, garnishes maintain their own identity as a dish is consumed. A sucker for textural and temperature contrasts, I’m partial to crunchy garnishes. Fried Shallots, Frizzled Leeks, and Herbed Croutons bring a stark contrast to the dishes I suggest serving them with. Moreover, each of them has its own little delicious drama going on, with a crunchy exterior giving way to a soft, silky interior. For my money, the ultimate example is Fried Oysters, which contain so much contrast that they are even compelling on their own.
As delicious as many of these are, even the best condiments and garnishes are only as good as the decision to use them; pair one with the wrong dish and it’s worse than having not used any. But heed the general advice that accompanies each of the following recipes, and you’ll find endless appropriate uses for them all.