Asian Mustard Sauce

Makes 11/2 cups

Active time: 10 minutes

Start to finish: 10 minutes

VARIATIONS

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons Chinese chile paste with garlic for a spicier sauce.

Substitute ketchup for hoisin sauce and add 1/2 teaspoon five-spice powder to the sauce.

A romatic sesame oil and fresh cilantro perk up this mustard. Serve with any Asian-inspired sausage such as Sweet Chinese Sausage or Thai-Style Pork Sausage.

3/4 cup Dijon mustard

1/3 cup hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons Asian sesame oil

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine mustard, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, and soy sauce in a mixing bowl. Whisk well, stir in cilantro, and season to taste with pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Note: The sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance and refrigerated, tightly covered.

Prepared mustard dates back thousands of years to the early Romans, who used to grind mustard seeds and mix them with wine into a paste not much different from the prepared mustards we know today.