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| March is National Sauce Month |
by Brenda HydeYears ago the purpose of sauce was to hide the pungent taste of food improperly stored due to the lack of refrigeration. Today, sauce is used to enhance the flavor of fresh foods. Enjoy these simple yet sophisticatedly tasting sauces! Herb Sauce for Vegetables Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 clove garlic, crushed 1 tablespoon chopped chives 1/4 tsp. oregano 1/4 tsp. salt dash pepper Melt butter, add other ingredients and simmer for 3-5 minutes. Pour over cooked vegetables. Lemon-herb Basting Sauce Ingredients: 1/3 cup melted butter 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. crushed rosemary leaves 1 tsp. thyme Combine all ingredients and use to baste turkey or chicken as it bakes. Tartar Sauce Ingredients: 1 cup mayonnaise 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives 1 tsp. finely chopped tarragon 1 tablespoon capers 1 small dill pickle, finely chopped Combine all ingredients and blend well. If desired add a small amount minced garlic. Garlic Roasted Puree Ingredients: 4 heads garlic 1 tablespoon olive oil 1/4 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Slice off bottoms of the heads of garlic to loosen cloves. Leave skins intact. Place in shallow baking dish. Drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool. Slip garlic from skins and place in food processor or blender. Add salt, pepper and lemon juice. (You can mash by hand) Process until smooth. Spread on bread, baked potatoes or grilled chicken. Makes 3/4 cup. Lemon-Thyme Barbecue Sauce Ingredients: 3 tablespoons wine or herb vinegar 1 tablespoon lemon juice 2 tsp. Dijon mustard 3 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 1/2 cup chopped green onion, white part only 1/4 cup finely chopped parsley 2 tablespoons chopped fresh thyme 1 shallot, finely chopped Salt and pepper to taste Whisk together vinegar, lemon juice and mustard in bowl until smooth. Whisk in oils in slow, steady stream until sauce is blended. Stir in green onion, parsley, thyme and shallot. Season with salt and pepper. Great on grilled vegetables or meat. Makes 3/4 cup. Dilled Lemon Yogurt Sauce Ingredients: 8 ounces plain yogurt, drained 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. finely grated lemon zest 1/4 cup olive oil 1/4 tsp. black pepper 2 tsp. chopped fresh dill Combine yogurt, lemon juice, and zest in a small bowl. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking constantly until smooth and slightly thick. Fold in the black pepper and dill. Use with fish, cucumbers, or with pita sandwiches as a dressing. Tomato Pesto Ingredients: 2 tsp. olive oil 1/2 cup diced onion 4 cups diced ripe red tomatoes (about 1 3/4 pounds) 1 tsp. minced garlic 1/2 tsp. salt 1/4 tsp. pepper 8 leaves fresh basil, stacked, rolled up and cut in narrow strips Heat oil in a large skillet. Add onion and sauté until soft and golden. Add remaining ingredients, except basil. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring occasionally, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in basil. Makes 2 1/2 cups. Serve with pasta or fish.  Recommended ReadingThe Complete Book of Sauces by Sallie Y. Williams Williams takes readers through the basics of sauce-making and provides special tips on each kind of preparation, with cross indexes that match the sauces according to their compatibility with meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, pasta, and desserts. Includes over 300 recipes for white and brown sauces, tomato-based sauces, mayonnaises, fruit and sweet sauces, and more. (courtesy: Amazon.com) |
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About the Author: Brenda is a wife, and mom to three living in Michigan. She is editor of http://oldfashionedliving.com where you will find more herb and recipe features. |
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Let's Get Cooking!
