Chapter 12Sauces and Salsas

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Horseradish-Beet Sauce

Yield: About 2 cups

Serve this classic combination with roast beef.

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive bowl. Taste and add more vinegar, if desired. Put mixture in a jar, cap it and refrigerate for at least several hours before using.

Ginger Sauce

Yield: 34 cup

Serve with glazed chicken wings, sushi, steamed vegetables, or stir-fried dishes.

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Put mixture in a nonreactive jar, cap, and refrigerate for at least several hours before using.

Easy Plum Sauce

Yield: 112 cups

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a heavy, nonreactive saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until jam is melted. Continue cooking and stirring for 5 minutes. Store in the refrigerator.

Mint Sauce

Yield: 1 cup

Serve with lamb, grilled seafood, or mixed with mayonnaise for salads.

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a nonreactive saucepan and bring just to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat, pour into a bowl, cover, and chill.

Variations. Make with other fresh herbs, such as tarragon, chervil, lemon balm, lemon basil, or anise hyssop.

Adobo Sauce (Caribbean Garlic Sauce)

Yield: 12 cup

Use as an accompaniment or marinade for steaks, chickens, or pork.

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender until smooth. Put mixture in a jar, cap, and refrigerate for several hours before using.

White Butter Sauce

Yield: 23 cup

Using cream in this classic sauce allows it to be held longer without separating. Herbs to consider using include tarragon, parsley, chives, basil, chervil, cilantro, dill, fennel, basil, lemon basil, lemon balm, lemon thyme, thyme, sorrel, or marjoram.

Use with poached chicken, delicate fish, or vegetables.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a small, heavy nonreactive saucepan, combine shallots and vinegar and cook over medium-high heat until reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Whisk in cream and reduce heat to low. Simmer until mixture is reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Add butter, one piece at a time, whisking constantly until the sauce is consistency of hollandaise. Lift the pan from heat occasionally to keep mixture from overheating. Whisk in the herbs, salt, and pepper.

Variations. Substitute flavored red wine, sherry, champagne, rice, or balsamic vinegar for the white wine vinegar. Fruit-flavored vinegars, such as raspberry, are especially good. When using a heavier vinegar, such as a red wine one, use with grilled meats and fish like salmon, swordfish, or halibut.

Mustard-Dill Sauce

Yield: 34 cup

Use with steamed vegetables or grilled chicken or fish.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a blender or food processor, combine dill, mustard, vinegar, yogurt, and honey until well blended. With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream. Blend until sauce is thick and smooth. Place in a covered bowl and refrigerate before serving.

Sorrel Sauce

Yield: 1 cup

Use this fresh, tangy sauce that needs no cooking as a nonfat partner to lightly steamed vegetables.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a food processor combine all ingredients until smooth. Serve immediately.

Variation. Cook the sorrel, apples, and vinegar together over medium heat until the apples are soft, or about 10 minutes. Puree in a blender. Return to low heat and stir in the honey and 2 tablespoons butter. Cook until warm and butter is melted.

Roasted Pepper Sauce

Yield: 2 cups

Serve over pasta, grains, chicken, fish, or vegetables.

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth Use immediately or store in a covered jar or nonreactive bowl in the refrigerator.

Black Bean Sauce

Yield: 112 cups

Serve over steamed or stir-fried vegetables or grains.

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth.

Use immediately or store in a covered jar or nonreactive bowl in the refrigerator.

Curry Sauce

Yield: 112 cups

Curry paste can be substituted for curry powder in recipes. As curry powder tends to lose flavor once opened, this is a good way of preserving it.

Ingredients

Instructions

Heat oil in heavy skillet over medium heat. Stir in curry powder, lower heat, and warm for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in vinegar and sugar, until smooth. Remove from heat, cool, and store in a tightly covered jar in the refrigerator.

Almond-Pepper Sauce

Yield: 2 cups

This sauce with Spanish origins can be used to garnish seafood stews, grilled tuna or other fish, or steamed vegetables.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a food processor or blender, combine almonds, egg yolks, garlic, sweet and hot peppers, parsley, and vinegar. Process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil in a thin stream, and then the boiling water. Store in a covered nonreactive bowl in the refrigerator. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Sweet-and-Sour Sauce

Yield: 112 cups

Use this for dipping egg rolls or poured over stir-fried dishes.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a small, heavy, nonreactive saucepan, combine pineapple juice, water, vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, tomato paste, garlic, and ginger. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in cornstarch mixture and simmer until sauce thickens and clears. Serve warm or at room temperature, or chill for later use.

Béarnaise Sauce

Yield: 1 cup

Although this rich French sauce is usually served over steaks, try it with roasts and hamburgers as well as vegetables and fish.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a small, heavy, nonreactive saucepan, combine vinegar, shallots, tarragon, chervil, peppercorns, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer mixture until reduced by half. Strain and reserve the liquid. Combine the egg yolks and the stock and pour into the top of a double boiler over simmering water. Stirring constantly, add the butter a half tablespoon at a time. When the mixture has thickened, stir in the reserved liquid. Serve immediately.

Basil Cream Sauce

Yield: 212 cups

Serve over pasta, steamed vegetables, or grilled chicken or fish.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.

Parsley-Lemon Basil Sauce

Yield: 1 cup

Serve over pasta, steamed vegetables, or grilled chicken or fish.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a blender or food processor, combine all ingredients and process until smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate and bring to room temperature before serving.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

Yield: 3 cups

Serve over pasta or grilled fish or chicken. Use plum tomatoes or any meaty variety.

Ingredients

Instructions

In large nonreactive bowl, combine all ingredients except olive oil. Add oil in a thin stream, whisking continually until it is well combined. Serve at room temperature.

Hot Pepper Sauce

Yield: 2 cups

Very, very hot, use this sauce sparingly as a condiment for Caribbean dishes or other foods.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a food processor, combine peppers, onion, garlic, allspice, and cumin and process until fine. In a nonreactive saucepan, combine the pepper mixture with the tomato paste and vinegar. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Cool, bottle, and refrigerate.

Green Sauce

Yield: 114 cups

Serve with steamed vegetables, grilled or roasted meats, or salad greens.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a food processor, combine all ingredients except olive oil. Process until smooth. With the machine running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream.

Serve chilled or at room temperature. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator.

Barbecue Sauce

Yield: 1 pint

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Transfer to a heavy nonreactive saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Refrigerate in a tightly covered jar.

Summer Vegetable Salsa

Yield: 4 cups

Serve over pasta or with grilled meats, fish, or poultry.

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine all ingredients in a large nonreactive bowl. Serve chilled.

Variation. To preserve for future use, place all ingredients in a large heavy nonreactive saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring frequently. To freeze, let the mixture cool, then put into pint freezer containers and freeze. Or, follow directions for standard directions for boiling-water method of preserving.

Tomatillo Salsa

Yield: 312 cups

Ingredients

Instructions

Peel husks off tomatillos. Rinse in cold water. In a heavy nonreactive saucepan, bring vinegar and salt to a boil over medium heat. Add tomatillos and cover. Cook until softened, or about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a food processor or blender with remaining ingredients. Process briefly to a puree. Store in a tightly covered container in the refrigerator. Use within 5 days.