Sir Marcus Sandys, from Worcester, England, discovered an intriguing sauce in nineteenth-century India and wanted to replicate it at home. He took the recipe to a local company named Lea & Perrins and asked the proprietors to brew a batch. The result tasted so horrible that it was abandoned in its vat in the basement. After a couple of years, someone had a second thought, took another sip, and shouted for joy. Aging is the key to Worcestershire Sauce, and ample reason not to try making your own at home. Instead, we doctor the commercial product, notching up the potency with a little horseradish and extra quantities of some of the major ingredients.
MAKES ABOUT 2 CUPS
| 15-ounce bottle commercial Worcestershire sauce | |
| ¾ | cup water |
| ½ | medium onion, chopped |
| 2 | tablespoons unsulphured molasses |
| 2 | tablespoons balsamic vinegar |
| 1 | tablespoon chopped anchovies |
| 2 | teaspoons grated fresh horseradish root or 4 teaspoons prepared horseradish |
| 2 | plump garlic cloves, chopped |
| 1 | teaspoon dried red chile flakes |
In a heavy, nonreactive saucepan, bring the ingredients to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 50 to 60 minutes. The sauce will be thin with some texture to it. Cool the sauce to room temperature, then spoon it into a blender and purée. Refrigerate for at least 1 day for the flavor to develop. The sauce keeps for months covered and refrigerated.