Course: Sauces and Condiments

Sauces are a great addition to any dish. Since I’m from California, I expand my idea of “sauce” to include things like salsas, guacamole, and other things that go on top of food.

Caramelized Onion Dip

Over the holiday season, I find myself eating way more chips and dip than is healthy. The fault is mostly mine since I’m the one who makes this fantastic and addictive caramelized onion dip.

Caramelizing onions changes their flavor — they become mellow and sweet. The amount of heat you use informs the speed of this dish (and the attention required — higher heat requires much more stirring to prevent burning!). I like to cook my onions low and slow while I’m preparing other dishes.

The amount of onion in this recipe seems insane, but they will cook down considerably.

Mushroom Gravy

Mushroom gravy is a one of those things — it can be vegetarian or meat-based, depending on your mood. It can be smooth or chunky, depending on your mood. I personally love it on the chunky side with meatloaf.

As with all gravies, the key to making a flavorful, richly colored gravy is a roux. And patience. You need to stir your flour and oil over medium-high heat until it is a rich caramel brown. This cooks off the raw taste of the rice flour and adds additional flavor.

[box type=”note” border=”full”]The amount of mushroom and onion in this recipe seems massive. It is! But they will cook down to a reasonable level very quickly. And please note that the rice flour thickens quickly. You may need to add additional liquid to make it pourable![/box]

Pesto

Pesto is one of those perfect foods I wish I’d discovered earlier in life. It’s great on pasta, of course, but also kicks basic steamed rice up a notch. And, I love to serve it with salmon. Of course, I could probably eat pesto by the spoonful…

The ingredients for pesto are simple: basil, olive oil, parmesan cheese, garlic, and pine nuts. And you go from there. There is artichoke pesto, herb pesto, red pesto. Humans find ways to mess with this recipe every day — and I love them for it!

Basic Bolognese Sauce

This is, for me, the ultimate Italian sauce. It’s perfect for noodles, for lasagna, for parties. Yes, it takes a long time to make this sauce from scratch, but you can freeze it so it’s ready for quick meals at any time. I love to make this sauce on a Sunday afternoon. The scent permeates house, making everyone hungry, and, truth be told, I’m getting hungry just writing about it!

Modify this recipe to suit your own personal taste, but don’t omit the vegetables. They give depth and body to this sauce.

Red Wine and Balsamic Vinegar Sauce

A basic red wine reduction adds a simple elegance to a dish of beef or lamb. Adding balsamic vinegar to the wine reduction increases the flavor and surprises your guests (one friend, as she walked into the house for a dinner party, sniffed the air with pleasure as she got a whiff of the balsamic vinegar).

[box type=”note” style=”rounded” border=”full”]There is a saying that you should never cook with a wine you won’t drink. Or, please use a decent red wine. So-called “cooking wines” do not work for this sauce.[/box]

Fast and Easy Teriyaki Sauce

While soy is a lovely gluten-free food, many items made with soy, including the salty soy sauce, are off-limits to those of us on a GF diet. But this doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy these foods — or even make them better than pre-made or restaurant versions.

Take, for example, this quick and easy teriyaki sauce. It require a few ingredients, fifteen or so minutes on the stove. It’s that simple. Best of all, the sauce keeps for a month in the refrigerator, allowing you to try it out on lots of dishes.

My version, adapted from countless magazine recipes, includes sake, a Japanese rice wine. If you don’t have sake available to you, or prefer an alcohol-free version, it can be omitted without ruining the recipe. I find it adds another layer of flavor. Likewise, you can play with proportions to make this recipe your own.