FLAVOR BOOSTS: CONDIMENTS ARE KEY
Most store-bought sauces and dressings are packed with sugar and additives - they're far from fresh or nutritious! In this class, learn to create simple, flavorful condiments that transform plain meals into bold, exciting dishes, all with just a few wholesome ingredients.
Meals are more satiating when there’s some contrast involved. Think of a hot creamy soup topped with crunchy croutons or a dollop of cold yogurt. The flavors and textures are complimentary and there’s a bit of a surprise, so the dish is more dynamic, less one note. Condiments help to boost dishes the first time around and can be just the element to simply reinvent and revive leftovers.
Andy Baraghani’s Tahini Ranch from his book The Cook You Want To Be
Makes around 1 cup
“As salad dressing, I like this to be a bit runny but still able to coat a spoon or leafy green, as on the Veg Wedge salad (page 148). To use as a spread on sandwiches or as a dip, keep it on the thicker side by omitting the water…Toss with shredded cabbage for a creamy coleslaw. Drizzle over roasted sweet veg, like carrots, sweet potatoes, or winter squash.”
1/3 cup full-fat Greek Yogurt or sour cream
1/3 cup tahini
3 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or as needed
2 teaspoons maple syrup or runny honey
1 small garlic clove, finely grated
1/4 cup cold water
Kosher salt
In a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, tahini, olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, and water until smooth. Season with a big pinch of salt, add more lemon juice if you need more tang, and then taste with a spoon or using your finger. The dressing should be savory, lemony, and so delicious you could eat it with a spoon (or your finger!).. The dressing keeps, covered and refrigerated, for 3 days; but here’s your fair warming: the garlic becomes more potent as it sits.
Romesco Sauce
Makes around 1 ½ cups
2 roasted red peppers, cored and seeded
1 dried Ancho pepper (or 2 teaspoons powder), rehydrated in hot water until soft, cored and seeded
2 - 3 garlic cloves
1 Jalapeño pepper or less
1/2 cup toasted hazelnuts and/or toasted almonds
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons sweet smoked paprika
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Place all of the ingredients except for the oil, salt and pepper in the food processor and puree with ¼ cup of water. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil through the feed tube and process until the sauce thickens. Season with salt and pepper.
Cover and refrigerate for a few hours to allow the flavors to bloom. Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes before serving.
Apple Radish Salsa
Makes around 1 1/4 cups
Remember, this is a template. Consider using another juicy sweet ingredient like tomato or mango instead of the apple, jicama or carrot instead of the radish, and a different allium like red onion or garlic. You can’t go wrong with the addition of avocado. Mint is really nice here too!
1 large apple, diced
1/3 cup small diced radish
2 Tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
2 green onions, chopped
Juice of 1/2 lime
Sea salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl just prior to serving. Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Sweet Miso Sesame Garlic Sauce
Makes around 1/3 cup
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
2 Tablespoons chickpea or white miso
2 Tablespoons toasted sesame oil
2 Tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
1 1/2 Tablespoons honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
Whisk all of the ingredients together in a small airtight container. Keeps for up to one month in the fridge.
Basic Vinaigrette
Makes around 1 cup
1/4 cup Sherry vinegar
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 Tablespoon minced shallot
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, mustard, shallot, salt and pepper. Slowly add the oil, whisking until emulsified. Alternatively, shake the ingredients in a jar.
VARIATIONS- To make different types of vinaigrette, do the following:
· Substitute balsamic vinegar, red wine vinegar, a different vinegar or lemon juice for the Sherry vinegar.
· Substitute minced garlic for the shallot.
· Add 2 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs, such as tarragon, parsley, cilantro, or thyme.
· Add ½ have cup crumbled blue cheese or ¼ cup finely grated Parmesan cheese.
· Use fresh lemon juice instead of vinegar; add 1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan.
· Substitute toasted sesame oil for the olive oil, add 1 teaspoon minced ginger, substitute lime juice or rice vinegar for the balsamic vinegar.
Chimichurri
Makes around 1 cup
1 cup fresh parsley
1 cup fresh cilantro
½ cup Extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine or sherry vinegar
3 Piquillo peppers or a pinch of red chili flakes
1-2 cloves garlic
Salt
Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Pulse until smooth. Alternatively, if you like a chunkier sauce, chop the herbs, peppers and garlic and mix together with remaining ingredients. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Peanut Sauce
Makes around 1 cup
1/2 cup peanut butter (I like to use freshly ground peanuts from the self-grind machine or a brand that has no other ingredients on the label than peanuts)
¼ cup cilantro leaves and/or stems, optional
2 Tablespoons lime juice
1-2 Tablespoons honey
1 Tablespoon fresh ginger, chopped
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon tamari, soy sauce, or coconut aminos
1/2 cup water or coconut water
Combine all the ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth adding more water or coconut water to thin as you like. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to one month.
Candied Pecans
Adapted from Ottolenghi’s recipe
Makes 1 cup
1 cup pecans
1/4 cup runny honey
1 1/2 teaspoons fennel seeds
1/4 teaspoon salt
1. Preheat the oven to 300. Line a large oven tray with parchment paper.
2. Mix the pecans, honey, fennel seeds and ¼ teaspoon of salt on the tray and roast, mixing halfway through, for about 20 minutes, until deeply golden. Set aside to cool completely. Store in an airtight container.
More boosts
quick pickled onions
crispy shallots (you don’t need to use a mandolin, just thinly slice with a knife. and you don’t need that much oil as long as there’s a little oil in the bottom of the pan and you stir the shallots so they’re coated
fried garlic (same as above regarding the oil)
caramelized onions (See class 2 quesadilla recipe, above, for technique)
yuzu (Japanese citrus) juice - available at many Asian grocers
chili crisp
hot mama smokey coffee chili oil - Portland brand available at farmers markets, Whole Foods, New Seasons
toasted nuts and seeds (including poppy seeds and brown mustard seeds)
candied nuts and seeds
crumble or grate of cheese
citrus zest (ideally using a microplane)
squeeze of citrus
fresh herbs
flakey salt
caramelized/candied dates - cook briefly in olive oil in a skillet
balsamic reduction (I use this which is available at most grocery stores)
red pepper flakes
urfa pepper, aleppo pepper
nigella seeds - aka black onion seeds, black cumin, or black caraway, even though they aren’t actually related to onions, cumin, or caraway. They’re sometimes labeled just as kalonji (the Hindi/Urdu name).
fried rosemary or sage
crispy roasted beans or lentils
fried capers
flakey salt
breadcrumbs
croutons
flavored oils
Pink peppercorns and edible flowers don’t provide much in the way of flavor or texture, but they do give a color pop to make meals more appetizing and joyful!
