Sauce Boss: Mastering Flavor P. 1
Can you imagine if tortilla chips didn't come with salsa? Or what about a samosa without chutney? Potato wedges without tartar sauce and ketchup? Or sushi without soy sauce?
Master the art of sauce making and never have a boring meal in your life. Today's blog article will make you the sauce boss of every potluck.
Although we will link to recipes, instead of listing recipes here, we will offer you things to consider when putting a sauce together and potential pitfalls.
Three good basic sauces to master:
A tomato based sauce - good for pastas, pizzas, soups, or even salsas.
a. For a pasta or pizza sauce- tomatoes, olive oil, and salt are usually enough. Add some herbs, black pepper, and parmesan for flavor if desired. A slow simmering reduction is key here for flavor and a good consistency.
A hollandaise that can be used for everything from eggs benedict to grilled chicken breast, salmon, or even a dipping sauce for fries or potatoes.
a. Using fresh local eggs and butter will make all the difference here in consistency and flavor. Aromatics will also be important. Also keep in mind that you can make this sauce thinner or thicker depending on preference and you can even add in something like sriracha and make it into a dipping sauce.
A simple cream sauce that can be used for pastas, soups, and veggies.
a. Broccoli in a cheesy cream sauce can be just as good if not better than a pasta so remember to dress up your veggies.
Tips for any sauce:
Get fresh in-season ingredients picked at the peak ripeness. The flavor will automatically be increased before you even start.
Choose the type of fat and aromatics carefully. Think about what flavors mesh well together in the sauce, but also the finished meal over-all. If you are wanting a pasta, basil, oregano, thyme, and parsley pair well. Maybe some black pepper too. Olive oil and a good salty hard cheese would be a good addition. For a more spicey sauce for soups, adding peppers and onion, garlic, and cumin could work well.
Make sure the sauce is reduced over steady medium heat to thicken and emulsify (blend evenly together). A sauce that breaks up into liquid and fat chunks loses its appeal quickly. To prevent breakage of a sauce, be very careful with increasing the heat and addition of acid. Too much of either will cause the sauce to separate.
