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Definition: Gastrique

YumSugar — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 14:00:15 -0700

A thick sauce in classic French cuisine that consists of a reduction of vinegar, wine, sugar, and sometimes fruit that has been caramelized over heat.

A gastrique is employed to round out flavors in a dish, and is either served with meat or seafood, or used as a base for other sauces, such as one with tomatoes.

It can also be used to add complexity to fruit-forward cocktails.

Source: Flickr User finna dat

Pesto: Love It or Hate It?

partysugar — Sat, 12 Sep 2009 04:00:16 -0700

One of the things I'm going to miss most about Summer is homemade fresh pesto. I just can't get enough of it: I love it on everything from pasta to seafood to sandwiches. However, with its green color and pungent raw garlic, pesto is not enjoyed by everyone. Take my mother, for example; she's crazy about basil but hates pesto. Even though I say, "Mom, pesto is basically liquid basil," she still doesn't like the classic Italian sauce. How about you?

Source: Flickr User foodistablog

The Basics: Pesto

partysugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 10:15:17 -0700

When basil is in season, I can't make enough pesto. The classic Italian sauce native to Genoa tastes delicious on everything from pasta to pizza to grilled fish. It's excellent stirred into salads or slathered on sandwich bread. Although store-made pesto is widely available, it's easy to make. Pesto is simply an uncooked paste consisting of fresh basil, garlic, pine nuts, Parmesan cheese, and olive oil. It can be made with a mortar and pestle or in a food processor. Once you have mastered the basic recipe, you can get creative with other herb, nut, and cheese combinations. To learn the basic technique, read more.

Pesto
From Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

2 cups packed fresh basil leaves
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
1 garlic clove, peeled
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more for seasoning
1/2 to 2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup grated Parmesan

Directions

In a blender or food processor, pulse the basil, pine nuts, garlic, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper until finely chopped.
With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil until the mixture forms a smooth and thick consistency. Add the Parmesan and pulse until combined. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Makes 1-1 1/2 cups.

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Make Your Own Barbecue Sauce

partysugar — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 03:30:44 -0700

I'm with the majority: I love barbecue sauce. Not just any barbecue sauce, but homemade finger-licking good barbecue sauce. Every Summer, I end up making some random recipe and become totally obsessed with it. Last year I was all about Barefoot Contessa's simple sauce and the Summer before I was crazy for Everyday Food's recipe. Currently, I can't get enough of Steven Raichlen's coca-cola barbecue sauce.It's easy to make and tastes divine. Although there is no vinegar in the ingredient list, the sauce has a delightful tanginess and rich thickness. Liquid smoke provides a depth of flavor. If you're a fan of this style of slightly sweet and piquant (it's not spicy) barbecue sauce I highly recommend you make it. Seriously it only takes 10 minutes. Learn how it's done now.

Know Your Ingredients: Worcestershire Sauce

YumSugar — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 13:00:53 -0700

From crab cakes to Caesar salad to Bloody Marys, many of Summer's staples share one ingredient in common: Worcestershire sauce. But what exactly is it?

Originally bottled in Worcester, England, Worcestershire sauce - commonly referred to as "Worcester sauce" - is a fermented flavoring that contains many ingredients. Lea & Perrins, the original purveyor, keeps its recipe a well-kept secret, but it contains a plethora of items that are left to mature in oak barrels for several months, including malt vinegar, molasses, corn syrup, anchovies, onions, salt, garlic, tamarind, cloves, and chili pepper extract. Worcestershire sauce is frequently added to cocktails, salad dressings, and gravies.

It is used around the globe in dishes ranging from Cantonese dim sum to Welsh rarebit. For those of you who are well-versed in cooking with Worcestershire sauce, what do you use it for? Are you surprised to learn of its manifold ingredients?

Make Your Own Harissa

YumSugar — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 15:00:50 -0700

Any gourmand with a hankering for something spicy would be right at home in my kitchen, where the fridge is stocked with scorching sauces from every corner of the world. From Tabasco to Sambal Oelek and Sriracha, I'm extremely well-supplied in the store-bought specialties department.

I recently came to the conclusion, however, that I'm lacking somewhat in the homemade hot sauce category. Enter harissa, a fiery garlic and chili paste that hails from Tunisia and is used in stews, pasta sauces, grilled meats, and couscous. Although the chili paste is sold in tubes and jars at many supermarkets, it's easy - and much more fulfilling - to make from scratch yourself. See how I did so when you read more.

Harissa
From Saveur

Ingredients

8 dried or 1 1/2 oz. new mexico chiles, stemmed and seeded
8 dried or 2 oz. guajillo chiles, stemmed and seeded (I substituted aji panca peppers)
1⁄2 tsp. caraway seeds
1⁄4 tsp. coriander seeds
1⁄4 tsp. cumin seeds
1 tsp. dried mint leaves
3 tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more as needed
1 1⁄2 tsp. kosher salt
5 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon

Directions

Put chiles into a medium bowl, cover with boiling water, and let sit until softened, about 20 minutes. Heat caraway, coriander, and cumin in an 8" skillet over medium heat. Toast spices, swirling skillet constantly, until very fragrant, about 4 minutes. Transfer spices to a grinder with the mint and grind to a fine powder. Set aside.
Drain chiles and transfer to the bowl of a food processor with the ground spices, olive oil, salt, garlic, and lemon juice. Purée, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl, until the paste is very smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer to a sterilized 1-pint glass jar and fill with oil until ingredients are submerged by 1⁄2". Refrigerate, topping off with more oil after each use. Paste will keep for up to 3 weeks.

Makes 1 cup.

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The Basics: Marinara Sauce

partysugar — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 10:38:38 -0700

When it comes to cooking, there are many basic recipes that are like building blocks. Take a simple vinaigrette, for example: once you know the most common ratio of oil to vinegar, you can easily change and enhance the flavor by adding herbs, garlic, finely grated cheese, mustard, honey, citrus, or whatever ingredients entice your tastebuds. Our new regular feature, The Basics, highlights these important recipes. We're taking you back to the basics by providing foundation recipes that you can build upon.To kick of the series, I've made homemade marinara sauce. While you can find this staple in every grocery store, it's far more delicious if you take the time to make your own. The recipe is uncomplicated and alterable. It's an effortless tomato sauce that can be tossed with pasta, turned into a dip, or spread on a pizza dough. To look at the recipe and see suggestions on how to transform it into a more complex sauce, read more.

Marinara Sauce
From Giada De Laurentiis

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
1 carrots, peeled and finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (32-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 dried bay leaf

Directions

In a large pot, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the onions and garlic and saute until the onions are translucent, about 10 minutes.
Add the celery, carrots, and 1/2 teaspoon each of salt and pepper. Saute until all the vegetables are soft, about 10 minutes.
Add the tomatoes and bay leaves, and simmer uncovered over low heat until the sauce thickens, about 1 hour.
Remove and discard the bay leaves. Season the sauce with more salt and pepper, to taste. The sauce can be made 1 day ahead. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before using.

Makes about 4 cups.

Variations
To make a spicy tomato sauce, stir in red pepper flakes and ancho chile powder (or chopped chipotle in adobe) when you add the tomatoes.

To make a rich bolognese-style sauce, deglaze the vegetables with red wine. Pour in milk when you add the tomatoes.

To make a tangy puttanesca-inspired sauce, saute anchovy fillets with the vegetables. Add capers, black olives, and fresh oregano when you add the tomatoes.

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Definition: Ganache

YumSugar — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:00:50 -0700

Ganache
A chocolate sauce made from a mixture of chocolate and cream, ganache may be used to fill a pastry, add a glossy glaze to a cake, or form the center of a traditional chocolate truffle. Ganache is typically created by pouring heated cream over chopped dark chocolate, then blending until smooth, although it may also be enhanced with liqueurs or extracts. Cream-to-chocolate ratios vary depending on the application; less cream results in a firmer ganache.

Definition: Mignonette

YumSugar — Wed, 08 Apr 2009 15:00:32 -0700

Mignonette
A classic condiment for raw oysters served on the half shell, mignonette sauce typically contains vinegar and shallots, and may also include oyster liquor, seasonings, and herbs.

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Yummy Links: From Homemade Peeps to Easter Centerpieces

partysugar — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 03:30:19 -0700

Learn how to make your own adorable marshmallow Peeps! - Twig and Thistle
Speaking of Peeps, would you use Peeps-scented lip balm? - Serious Eats
A guide to which sauces go best with which noodles. - Chow
Salads can be deliciously satisfying even if they don't have lettuce. - Self
What wines work with the hard-to-pair asparagus. - The Epi-Log
Must make: bacon-wrapped potato bites with sour cream dipping sauce. - The Kitchn
Stylish and modern centerpieces are perfect for the Easter table. - Hostess With the Mostess