Tag Archives: condiments

Mexican Hot Sauce

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  • 1 tbsp. oil
  • 2 cups sliced jalapeno peppers
  • 2 cloves minced garlic
  • 1/4 cup diced onion
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1 cup water
  • 1/2 cup white vinegar (can use other apple cider, some lime juice, etc.)

Heat oil in a saucepan; add jalapenos, garlic and onion. Saute for 5-10 minutes until onion is transparent but not yet turning brown.

Add the water. When mixture comes to a boil, turn temperature down a bit and put lid on pan. Let boil gently for 15 minutes.

Remove pan from heat, take lid off, allow everything to cool until room temperature.

Place mixture in a blender and add the salt. Blend at medium speed for 1 minute. While blender is still working, slowly pour in the vinegar.

Strain hot sauce (or not) and pour into a bottle.

Can add 1/4 tsp. dried herbs (cumin, oregano) with the salt.

Fish Sauce

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  • 1 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup dulse
  • 1/4 cup dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 tsp. salt
  • 1 1/4 tsp. miso
  • 1-2 tbsp. tamari

In a saucepan, add water, dulse, mushrooms and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and let simmer for 15-20 minutes.

Let cool slightly. Pour liquid through strainer, pressing to squeeze out any liquid.

In the bowl, add miso and tamari.

Sesame Ginger Dressing

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  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger
  • 1/2 cup neutral oil
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp soy sauce
  • 3 Tbsp honey
  • 1 Tbsp tahini
  • 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
  • Mince the garlic and grate the ginger.
  • Add the minced garlic, grated ginger, oil, rice vinegar, soy sauce, honey, tahini, and toasted sesame oil to a blender. Blend until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Serve over salad or as a dipping sauce.

Ranch Dressing

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  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 cup sour cream
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk or regular milk
  • 3/4 – 1 teaspoon dried dill weed
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried chives
  • 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon finely cracked pepper
  • freshly squeezed lemon juice to taste approximately 1-3 teaspoons, adjust to taste

Whisk together the mayo, sour cream and milk until smooth. Add the spices and whisk until combined. Add the lemon and whisk again. Pour into a jar and chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Harissa

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4 ounces dried chiles of your choice (see Recipe Notes)
1 teaspoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
3 to 4 garlic cloves, peeled
1 teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, plus more for storing
Optional additions: fresh lemon juice, preserved lemon, fresh or dried mint, fresh cilantro, sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, cayenne, paprika

 

  • Soften the chiles. Place the chiles in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water. Let stand for 30 minutes.
  • Toast the spices. While the chiles are soaking, toast the caraway, coriander, and cumin in a dry skillet over low-medium heat, occasionally shaking or stirring to prevent burning. When the spices are fragrant, remove them from the pan.
  • Grind the spices. Grind the spices in a mortar and pestle, spice grinder, or coffee grinder.
  • Drain the chiles. Drain the chiles, reserving the liquid for step 7.
  • Stem and seed the chiles. Remove and discard the stems and seeds from the chiles. (Wearing gloves is optional but recommended to protect your hands.)
  • Combine the chiles with spices, garlic, and salt. Combine the chiles, ground spices, garlic, and salt in the bowl of a food processor. (You can also use a mortar and pestle.)
  • Make a paste. With the food processor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil and process to form a smooth and thick paste. Scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally. If a thinner paste is desired, blend in a little of the chile soaking liquid until the paste has reached your desired texture.
  • Taste and adjust seasonings. The flavor of the harissa will deepen over the next day or two, but you can taste it now and add more salt or other optional ingredients to your liking.
  • Top with olive oil and store. Transfer the harissa to a jar and cover the surface with a thin layer of olive oil. Cover the jar and refrigerate for up to a month, adding a fresh layer of olive oil on the top each time you use the

 

Mayonnaise

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3 eggs
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. mustard
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 1/2 cups oil

Add three eggs to the blender, along with ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp dijon mustard, and ¼ cup of lemon juice.

Steadily turn the speed on, going from low all the way to high. While the motor continues to run, dribble the oil very slowly into the egg mixture. You will need 1-1/2 cups of oil.

As the liquid thickens, you may pour at a faster rate. Once the motor slogs, dump the rest of the oil in as fast as possible and shut off the machine. Look inside. You should have a creamy mixture with streaks of oil on the surface.

Carefully spoon the mayonnaise into a jar, scraping down all the sides and around the blades, stirring in the remaining oil. Don’t worry if it is a little runny, the mayonnaise thickens as it cools in the fridge.

Dressings

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Ranch Dressing

Makes 3 to 4 tablespoons, enough to dress 1 salad
 
2 tablespoons well-shaken cultured buttermilk
1 tablespoon mayonnaise
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar, optional
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
1 to 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chives, mint, and/or Italian parsley, optional
Whisk together the buttermilk and mayonnaise. Taste and season with salt and pepper.

If desired, whisk in rice vinegar, garlic powder, and herbs. Refrigerate until serving and up to 3 days.

 

Creamy Salad Dressing

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard, or other grainy mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Pinch salt
Pinch sugar
Fresh pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar

Whisk together the mustard, mayonnaise, salt, sugar, and pepper until combined. Add the vinegar and whisk until smooth. Toss with salad greens and serve.

 

Italian Salad Dressing

1 cup neutral salad oil, such as canola (See Recipe Note)
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large garlic clove, pressed
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons finely chopped red bell pepper
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon honey
1 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon dried marjoram
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a jar with a tight fitting lid. (I love this shaker.) Shake vigorously until the mixture is thickened and well-combined. Alternatively, combine the ingredients in a bowl and whisk until combined.

Taste the dressing using a lettuce leaf and adjust seasonings. The dressing will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks.

 

Blue Cheese Dressing

4 ounces (about 1 heaping cup) blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small bowl, use a fork to mash together the cheese and sour cream until it forms a chunky paste about the consistency of cottage cheese. Stir in the buttermilk, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Store in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to one week.

 

Eggless Caesar Salad

5 anchovy filets
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons sherry or red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

With a mortar and pestle, bash the anchovies, garlic and pepper.  Whisk in the lemon juice, vinegar and mustard. Slowly whisk in the oil until emulsified. Stir in the parmesan and taste for seasoning.

Alternatively, combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until emulsified.

Refrigerate in a sealed container for up to one week. Toss liberally with romaine lettuce, croutons and additional Parmesan for an authentic eggless Caesar salad.

 

Miso Lime Dressing

2 tbsp. lime juice
1 1/2 tsp. yellow miso paste
2 tbsp. walnut oil

In a small bowl whisk together the lime juice and miso paste until smooth. Slowly drizzle in the walnut oil, whisking constantly, until thoroughly combined.

 

Vanilla Extract

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1. Buy vanilla beans.

2. Get a bottle to store your extract: Get a couple extras, because this makes fantastic gifts. An old, well-sterilized vinegar or oil bottle will work here, or a small wine bottle, or even an old glass vanilla bottle.

3. Buy alcohol: Alcohol is used as a base for extracts because it doesn’t spoil and is easily infused with flavors. The gold standard of extracts is pure alcohol, but that’s not readily available everywhere. Instead, I use vodka, which is by definition colorless and flavorless.

4. 1 whole vanilla bean for every 2 liquid ounces of alcohol. So, for an 8-ounce bottle, I use 4 whole beans, for a 12-ounce bottle (pictured up top), I used 6, for a 16-ounce bottle (the one I made last year that sparked this conversation), I used 8 beans. I go solely by bean count; I don’t fuss about whether the beans are bigger or smaller because bigger doesn’t necessarily mean more flavor.

Split each bean lengthwise and drop in your empty bottle. If your bottle is short, you can first cut your beans down in size so that they’ll easily fit. Then, split each bean lengthwise and drop in your empty bottle. Fill to a 1/2-inch from the top with alcohol. Give it a few shakes and place it somewhere that you’ll see it, like a cabinet, but away from the light.

5. Be patient: For the first week or two, I give the bottle a little shake — and who are we kidding, a deep inhale of admiration — whenever I see it but I’m not sure there is any scientific evidence that this speeds the process along. Within 5 days, your extract will already be a medium amber color (see top photo). Most people recommend that you wait 2 weeks to use it, but I prefer to wait 4 to 6. I know it sounds crazy, but I’m all about getting the maximum impact from my investment and at 6 weeks, it’s a downright near coffee-colored luxury unmatched by anything you can buy in the store. It is worth the wait.