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Sauces
Definition: Gastrique
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.
Pesto: Love It or Hate It?
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.
The Basics: Pesto
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.
Make Your Own Barbecue Sauce
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.
Know Your Ingredients: Worcestershire Sauce
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.
Make Your Own Harissa
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.
The Basics: Marinara Sauce
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.
Definition: Ganache
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
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.
Source
Yummy Links: From Homemade Peeps to Easter Centerpieces
- 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.
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