A sauce and condiment binge

I went on something of a binge last week seeing how many ways I could put together elements that could transform a basic protein plus two veg dinner.  One approach was to roast peppers and tomatoes that could be used in many different ways and I wrote about that here. Falling into that category (but which remain undocumented by Kilt in the Kitchen) are the picked daikon radishes and the sautéed Anaheim chiles.

Another approach, though, are sauces and condiments. I mentioned a couple a few weeks back but there are infinite ways to improvise flavorful additions that work well with a basic meal.  Here are five that I played with last week, along with some suggestions as to how to use them.  Starting at 12 o’clock…

Recipe – Miso mayonnaise

It doesn’t get much simpler than this, but I was amazed at how much the miso transformed the mayonnaise, adding depth and flavor. I used it on broccoli, asparagus, and pan-fried fish successfully. It also worked wonderfully when I coated a piece of turbot with it and then sprinkled the fish with breadcrumbs before putting in the broiler.  Taken from Mark Bittman’s The Kitchen Matrix.

Ingredients & directions

Whisk 2 tablespoons of red miso into 1 cup of mayonnaise
and chill.

Recipe – Rosemary oil

Here’s something else that’s beyond easy.  I’ve drizzled it over boiled and roasted potatoes and whisked it into mayonnaise for a vegetable topping.  From Sally Schneider’s A New Way to Cook.

Ingredients & directions

Finely chop 1 1/2 tablespoons of rosemary and add to 1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil in a small saucepan.  Turn the heat on low for 2-3 minutes, until you can start to see bubbles.  Turn the heat off and let cool completely before using.

Recipe – Basil mayonnaise

I’m always looking for a way to add herbs to my cooking.  This works very well with steamed or roasted vegetables and fish.

Ingredients & directions

Finely dice a shallot and soak for at least 10 minutes in sherry or white wine vinegar.  When ready, drain the vinegar. Finely chop 1/4 cup of fresh basil.  Whisk the shallots and basil into 1 cup of mayonnaise and chill.

Recipe – Charmoula

This may be the most versatile condiment I’ve come across lately. I’ve enjoyed it on everything I’ve tried, from tuna to flank steak to potatoes to zucchini.  It’s bright (the cilantro and the lemon juice) and spicy (the harissa and paprika).  There are dozens of recipes for charmoula out there.  This one is from Grace Parisi’s Get Saucy but they are all based on most of the same ingredients.

Ingredients & directions

In a food processor, combine 1 cup of fresh cilantro leaves, 1/2 cup Italian parsley, 2 large garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon harissa (a North African spice blend that is available in most grocery stores), and 1 teaspoon paprika.  Pulse several times until everything is chopped.  Then add 1/4 cup of olive oil and pulse until you get a paste.  Transfer to a bowl or storage container, mix in 3 tablespoons of lemon juice, taste for salt, and chill.

Recipe – Ginger – soy sauce

This sauce was a total knockout.  I’ve seldom had any better accompaniment to a whole roasted fish but it also worked well on a slow roasted cod filet, on steak, on mushrooms, and on asparagus.  There is a real depth of flavor in this sauce that I just love. The recipe comes from Sallie Williams’ The Complete Book of Sauces and the first couple of times I made it, I followed her instructions exactly but I have to say that grating 3 tablespoons of ginger is a lot of work.  It’s worth it, but it’s still a lot of work.  I substituted pre-grated ginger and while it tasted almost as good as the original, the texture just wasn’t the same.  I’ll still use the store-bought ginger on occasion when I don’t have the time to hand-grate 3 tablespoons of fresh ginger, but I’ll still grate the fresh ginger when I want something really special.

Ingredients & directions

Whisk together 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/4 rice wine vinegar, 3 tablespoons of grated fresh ginger, 2 cloves of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 2 tablespoons of peanut oil, and a touch of chili oil, chili paste, or some similar kind of heat.  Don’t go overboard on the heat. Let the ingredients sit together at room temperature for a couple of hours to let the flavors develop.