posted by Saucy on Dec 20
Authentic Mexican sauce recipes can be very involved. They build layers and layers of flavors that excite every area of the palette. There are times though when you want that burst of flavor but don’t have the time required to build everything from scratch. In those circumstances we look to short cuts like using chili powder rather than processing your own fresh chilies. While these don’t produce the flavors to the same depth as doing everything from scratch, they satisfy the craving in a pinch. The enchilada sauce recipe below is a good quick basic red enchilada sauce.
2 tablespoons Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, minced
1 small Onion, minced
3 tablespoons Flour
2 tablespoons Ancho Chili Powder
1 teaspoon of Cumin
1 teaspoon Dried Oregano, Mexican preferred
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/2 teaspoon Salt
2 cups Beef Broth
Heat the oil in a heavy saucepan. Saute the onion and garlic in the oil until soft. Stir in the flour. Heat for 1-2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
Place all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and puree until smooth. Strain the mixture. If the sauce is too thick you can thin it out with a little more broth. Serve over enchiladas. This enchilada sauce recipe can be store for up to 3 days refrigerated.
posted by Saucy on Aug 11
This Thai Peanut Sauce is traditionally served as a dipping sauce with Chicken Satay (chicken that is grilled on a bamboo skewer). However, it works equally well as a dipping sauce or finishing sauce for shrimp, pork or beef.
When preparing the sauce do not use a freshly ground peanut butter. This will result in a sauce that is too oily. A creamy peanut butter works best. Garnish with some chopped roasted peanuts and some chopped green onions.
1 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1 can (14.8-ounce size) Chicken Broth
1/4 cup Fresh Lime Juice
3 tablespoons Brown Sugar
2 1/2 tablespoons Soy Sauce
2 tablespoons Fresh Ginger, peeled and finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
Place peanut butter in saucepan over medium heat. Gradually mix in the chicken broth. Add remaining ingredients and stir over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 6 minutes. Makes 3 cups of sauce.
posted by Saucy on Jul 27
Pesto sauce is another very flavorful sauce that is simple to prepare. The basil and garlic provide a bright strong flavor base. The cheese and pine nuts add richness and texture. If you have fresh basil and garlic on hand (we highly recommend your own herb garden) this is an option for a quick and refreshing pasta dish. The pesto sauce recipe below is for a classic pesto.
2 cups basil
3-4 garlic cloves
1/3 cup pine nuts
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender and puree until it forms a smooth paste. The sauce can be stored covered in the refrigerator for 2-3 days, or it can be frozen.
posted by Saucy on Jul 25
Red curry is a staple in the Thai household. This coconut based curry is bold and spicy, while hitting all of the taste areas of the pallet. Red is the most popular of the coconut based curries, but there are also green and yellow versions as well.
The curry sauce recipe below calls for several ingredients that can be found at asian markets or in the international section of some supermarkets (Thai red curry paste, unsweetened coconut milk & fish sauce). Our favorite store bought Thai red curry paste is Mae Ploy
brand. The red curry paste has a lot of heat to it, so you may want to start out with a little less and work your way up to 1/2 tablespoon. However, if you’re more adventurous and impervious to pain, you can use more!
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
1 14-ounce can unsweetened coconut milk
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh lemongrass or 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 lime, juiced
2 tablespoons asian fish sauce
Heat vegetable oil in small sauce pan over medium heat. Add curry paste and stir for about 30 seconds until it gets aromatic. Add coconut milk slowly, stirring to incorporate. Add the chopped lemongrass, brown sugar, lime juice and fish sauce. Simmer to thicken and reduce the mixture, about 5-10 minutes.