Category: Sauces

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Sauces

Greek Goddess Dip

Belinda

Here’s a great and easy dip perfect to serve with crudités, crackers or seafood.
It will be a staple on our outdoor table this summer.

Screen Shot 2018-07-09 at 10.16.41 AM

4 – 6 servings

½ cup packed fresh dill
½ cup packed fresh mint
½ cup packed fresh parsley
⅓ cup packed fresh basil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 scallions, white and green parts, sliced
1 ½ tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pinch kosher salt, more to taste
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
½ cup crumbled Greek feta cheese
½ cup Greek yogurt
¼ cup mayonnaise, optional
Raw chopped vegetables, seafood or pita chips, for serving

Place the dill, mint, parsley, basil, garlic, scallions, lemon juice and salt in a food processor and process until finely chopped.
With the motor running, drizzle in the olive oil until incorporated.
Add the feta and process until smooth; pulse in the yogurt.
Taste the dip and add more salt, if desired.
If you like a creamier, richer dip, add mayonnaise and pulse to combine.

Serve the dip immediately with vegetables or pita chips or cover and store in refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Sauces

Fabulous French sauce for fish

Belinda

This to me is the best possible sauce for any sort of fish. Due to the reducing, it’s very intense, creamy and utterly out of this world. (When I made this for my step-daughter several years ago, she literally was brought to tears)

Screen Shot 2017-12-10 at 12.15.59 PM

This amount serves 2 – 4, depending on how much sauce you want!
* Sometimes I use 4 fl oz of Noilly Prat instead of white wine, which makes it more intense)

8 fl oz good fish stock
4 fl oz dry white wine
3 tbsp Noilly Prat
2 small shallots, finely chopped
1/2 pint heavy cream
1 1/2 oz butter, chilled & cut into small cubes
2 tbsp fresh chives, finely cut
Salt and pepper

Put the fish stock, wine, Noilly Prat and chopped shallot in a pan and boil rapidly, reducing until 1/4 of the volume is left.

Add the cream and boil gently, stirring constantly, to reduce to the required consistency and taste. (The consistency is right when it thickly coats the back of a spoon and tastes intense)
When it’s to your liking, remove from the heat and whisk in the butter cubes one by one.
Strain through a fine sieve and season.

You can also liquidize the sauce before adding the chives to make it extra light and fluffy, or if you prefer it as is, add the chives just before you serve it.

Accompaniments · Appetizer Vegetarian · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Nuts · Sauces · Vegan · Whole30 compliant

Romesco Sauce

Belinda

This flavorsome Spanish sauce (or dip) is tremendously versatile. It’s wonderful served with boiled baby potatoes served warm or at room temp, that you dip into the sauce and eat. It’s great with grilled prawns or chicken too.
Whole 30 compliant, vegan, non dairy and grain free, it’s a winner. It also lasts for up to 1 week in the fridge and the whole thing is done in the food processor.

 

MAKES 3 CUPS

1 x 16oz jar of roasted bell peppers
2 large garlic cloves, crushed
1 cup slivered almonds, toasted lightly
1/3 cup tomato purée
4 heaped tbsp chopped flat-leaf parsley
4 tbsp Sherry vinegar
2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Pulse the first 8 ingredients in a food processor until very finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the oil; process until smooth.
Season with salt and pepper.

DO AHEAD: Romesco can be made 1 week ahead. Cover and chill.

Accompaniments · Asian flavors · Dairy-free · Sauces

A really great and easy BBQ sauce

Belinda

This is a really simple and super BBQ sauce you can keep refrigerated for up to 1 week, so if you’re planning a BBQ party, this part of it, you can do well in advance. It’s easily doubled too.

Screen Shot 2016-03-01 at 1.49.34 PM

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

1/2 cup vegetable oil or any other oil ( don’t waste really good olive oil)
4 large cloves garlic, finely diced or minced
a good handful fresh rosemary leaves, stripped from the stalk, finely chopped (minced)
2 tbsp mustard powder
2 tbsp sweet paprika
1 tbsp curry powder
4 tbsp sesame oil(toasted is nice too)
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup red wine
1/2 cup store-bought BBQ sauce (yes, I really mean it!)
salt to taste

Place ALL the ingredients in a jar with a tightfitting lid and shake really well.
Use to brush on absolutely anything that you BBQ, mushrooms, chicken, meat, onions, fish…
Enjoy!

Accompaniments · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Egg based · Fish · Gluten Free · Sauces · Whole30 compliant

A beautiful caper vinaigrette to serve with fish

Belinda

This is worth posting on it’s own as it is absolutely delicious on a salad or drizzled over a piece of hot salmon or halibut. It also keeps for a long time in the fridge

Screen Shot 2015-08-15 at 9.26.34 AM

2 egg yolks
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp Champagne or White balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup blended oil (1 part olive oil to 3 parts avocado oil mixed together)
2 tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp wholegrain mustard
1 tsp chopped fresh tarragon
1 tsp chopped fresh thyme
2 tsp chopped fresh Italian parsley
salt and pepper

In a food processor or in a blender, combine the egg yolks, lemon juice, garlic and vinegar.
Slowly whisk in the oil. Remove from the blender into a bowl and fold in the capers, mustard and herbs.
Season with salt and pepper.
Drizzle over your seared piece of fish or a salad

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Sauces

Avocado salsa to have with cold poached salmon

Belinda

 

Screen shot 2014-05-17 at 7.02.27 AM

Serves 4

This is gorgeous on a hot summers day with cold poached salmon.  The recipe is from Delia Smith, a British recipe book writer whose recipes are absolutely fail-safe. This is a cross between a sauce and a salsa and complements the flavor of salmon and it also looks really pretty with the color of the salmon.

1 ripe but firm avocado
2 large firm tomatoes
1/2 small red onion
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
1 rounded tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
A few drops Tabasco
Salt and freshly milled black pepper

Skin the tomatoes by pouring boiling water over them, then leaving for exactly 1 minute before draining and slipping the skins off when they’re cool enough to handle.
Then cut each tomato in half and, holding each half over a saucer (cut side downwards), squeeze gently to extract the seeds.
Now chop the tomato flesh as finely as possible.
Next, halve the avocado, remove the stone, cut each half into quarters and peel off the skin.
Chop the avocado into minutely small dice, and do the same with the onion. Finally, combine everything together in a bowl, adding seasoning, the lime juice, chopped cilantro and a few drops of Tabasco sauce.
Cover with clingfilm and leave on one side for an hour before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Serve this salsa with grilled, poached or baked salmon salmon

 

 

 

 

 

 

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Sauces · Vegan

Homemade Tahini Sauce

Belinda

Screen shot 2014-04-25 at 2.45.01 PMThis is well worth doing and you won’t need to buy the store bought tahini anymore. Not only is it a third of the price, it tastes so much richer and more authentic.
Use this in many sauces and of course, when making all versions of hummus.
Preheat the oven to 350 F

Ingredients
2 cups sesame seeds
1/2 to 3/4 cup good olive oil
Spread the sesame seeds out on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for about 10 to 15 minutes, watching that they don’t burn and shaking the pan occasionally to move them around. Cool on the baking sheet when toasted.
When the seeds are cool, put them in the bowl of a small food processor. Drizzle the oil slowly while processing the seeds. It will take about 4 to 5 minutes to get it completely smooth.
Add enough oil to get a runny consistency and scrape down the sides of the bowl when necessary. When in doubt, keep processing.
That’s it!  Store the sauce in an airtight container in the fridge.

 

 

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Sauces

Creamy ginger soy sauce

Belinda

This is a great dressing for a fresh salad or as a sauce for your favorite Asian cuisine featuring meat, fish or chicken. It’s also divine as a dipping sauce for vegetables or shrimp.
Really easy to make and so exotic!

3 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
3 tbsp sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp fresh ginger, minced
1 tsp cayenne pepper (or less if you don’t like too spicy)
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1 cup good quality mayonnaise

In a small bowl, combine and thoroughly mix the white wine vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, sugar, minced fresh ginger, cayenne pepper and black pepper.
Gradually whisk in the mayonnaise until completely blended.

 

Asian flavors · Curry · Do-ahead · Nuts · Sauces

Homemade Thai red curry sauce

Belinda

This is from fellow blogger “Pinch of Yum” and is just a wonderful sauce to have around.

The flavors of this sauce are pretty addictive and you will want plenty on hand to pour over everything!

Serves 4
1 can light coconut milk
2 tbsp peanut butter
2 tbsp curry paste
1 1/2 tbsp Thai fish sauce
2 tbsp fresh lime juice
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp minced garlic
1/3 cup crushed peanuts
up to 1/2 cup water of broth
extra crushed peanuts and scallions for topping

Pour the coconut milk into a small saucepan over high heat. When the coconut milk reaches a gentle simmer, add the peanut butter, curry paste, fish sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and garlic.
Whisk and keep on high heat for 15 minutes or until the sauce has reduced and thickened.

Add the peanuts and simmer for another 5 to 10 minutes.
When the sauce coats the back of a spoon, add small amounts of broth or water and whisk to adjust the consistency depending on how you will use it and how thick you want it.

If the sauce separates, just whisk vigorously to smooth out again.
Serve this sauce over rice noodles, chicken, fish, vegetables or any other way that sounds good to you!
Top with crushed peanuts and scallions

Notes
More time simmering = thicker, creamier and more flavorful sauce.
If you want a thinner sauce, simmer it for less time and plan to add a bit of additional liquid.
I’ve noticed that when I add the crushed peanuts, the consistency really thickens quite a bit, so you could omit the peanut butter and / or peanuts to also adjust to your desired consistency

 

Accompaniments · Do-ahead · Fish · Gluten Free · Sauces

Tangy and fresh lime and caper vinaigrette to have with fish or chicken.

Belinda

This is a wonderful and versatile vinaigrette to serve with fish or chicken.
It’s divine paired with my “Light and zesty lemon dill rice” recipe. (in the RICE folder)
Thank you Delia Smith!

Juice and zest of 1 good sized juicy lime
1 heaped tbsp capers, drained
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 heaped tsp good grain mustard
1 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro (coriander)
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black pepper

To garnish

A few sprigs of fresh cilantro

Prepare the dressing by simply whisking all the ingredients together in a small mixing bowl.

Warm it through a little in a saucepan (to take off the chill) and tip over a nice piece of sauteed or poached fish, chicken or halloumi cheese
Top with the garnish of cilantro sprigs.
Serve with my lemon dill rice and you have a really light, stunning meal.