Herb Goddess ~Spicy Tomato Jam ~ Lemon Compote |
It's pretty easy to jazz up ho- hum dinners with these tasty sauces. The Herb Goddess, The Spicy Tomato Jam and Lemon Compote compliments summer grilled fish, poultry, steaks and vegetables. I can safely say, any dish you serve smothered with these condiments will add layers of deliciousness.
To test my theory, I decided to make mixed grill, last night for a group of friends. On the menu, Rack of Lamb, Quail, Grilled Ribeye Steak, Whole Branzino, Stacked Vegetables and Grilled Artichokes.
The idea was to present three sauces in cool-looking canning jars ( the jars in the photograph are from William Sonoma) with the hope that everyone would try dollops of each condiment. Each condiment has ingredients that compliment each other. Lemons and olive oil , garlicky tomatoes and mixed herbs, you know the old adage, what grows together goes together.
These little basic sauces make basic ordinary foods come alive using a whisk, a fry pan and the food processor. Most important, they are easy to make, can be made ahead of time and each stores well in the refrigerator.
Remember "The Peterman Catalog"? Mr. Peterman created a basic dress you could wear for a day on safari, by adding a scarf, cute heels and a fabulous piece of jewelry, same dress, now fancy takes you from safari to night club.
You get the idea. I created sauces that go well with everything. If you are a non-cook, sauces
like these will easily dress- up your Al Fresco summer grilling menus. If you love to cook, adding sauces to everyday cooking is a shortcut. Who knows you might do less cooking and accessorize more.
Herb Goddess Dressing
Makes 2 ¾ cups
1 1/2 cups Light mayonnaise
1 cup Light sour cream
1/4 cup Parsley,minced
3 tablespoons Green onion, minced
1 tablespoon Tarragon Wine Vinegar
2tablespoons anchovies,mashed well
1 small Garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon Fresh tarragon leaves, minced
Salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste
Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, whisk well to combine. Cover and refrigerate. Remove from the refrigerator 1½ hours before using.
Reserve the remaining dressing for the rest of the week.
Spicy Tomato Jam
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 cup onion, thinly sliced
3 cloves garlic, smashed
2 shallots, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon of minced ginger
½ teaspoon chili flakes
½ cup homemade sundried tomatoes or use jarred rinse off any excess oil
1/3 cup white or rose wine to deglaze
½ cup coconut milk, canned
½ cup or less vegetable stock, homemade recipe attached
2 tablespoons honey
salt and white pepper to taste
Heat oil in a medium sautépan over a low flame. Add onion, garlic, shallots, ginger and the chili flakes and cook until well browned and caramelized, for 15 minutes. Then add sun-dried tomatoes and simmer for 5 minutes. Deglaze the pan with wine. When wine has evaporated, add the stock, coconut milk, honey and lower the heat to simmer the ingredients for about 15 minutes; let cool. Pour the mixture into a food processor and blend until smooth.
Fresh Lemon Compote
2 Organic Lemons- seeded and thinly sliced
1/3 Cup Olive oil to sauté
2 Whole garlic cloves
½ teaspoon whole white peppercorns
Place all the ingredients in a small saucepan- heat over a medium low flame and cook lemons in oil until they brown. Keeps in refrigerator for 3 weeks.