Simple sauces

CEBU, Philippines - “Sauces are the splendor and the glory of French cooking,” said American chef Julia Child.  And I add, perhaps in all types of cuisine, sauces enhance the flavors of a certain dish; and gives character to a certain recipe.

Here are some popular sauce recipes:

Basic tomato sauce

2 tbsp Olive oil

½ Medium onion, finely chopped

1 Small carrot, finely chopped

1 small stalk of celery (including the green tops), finely chopped

2 tbsp. Parsley, chopped

1 Clove garlic, minced

½ tsp.  Dried basil

1 ¾ pounds Fresh tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped

1 tsp Tomato paste

Salt and pepper

    1. Heat olive oil in a large wide skillet on medium heat. Add chopped onion, carrot, celery and parsley. Stir to coat. Reduce the heat to low, cover the skillet and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the vegetables are softened and cooked through.

    2. Remove cover and add the minced garlic. Increase the heat to medium high. Cook for garlic for 30 seconds. Add tomatoes, including the juice. Add tomato paste and basil. Season with salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a low simmer, reduce the heat to low and cook uncovered until thickened, about 15 minutes.  (simplyrecipes.com)

White sauce

    Below is a chart with the proportions necessary for making this sauce in various thickness.

    Melt butter in heavy saucepan.  Blend in flour and salt. Cook, stirring until bubbly.  Using wire whisk,  stir in liquid.  Cook just until smooth and thickened. 

                THIN      MEDIUM             MEDIUM THICK                THICK    BUTTER                1 T.         2 T.         3 T.         4 T.        

FLOUR  1 T.         2 T.         3 T.         4 T.        

SALT      1/4 t.     1/4 t.     1/4 t.     1/4 t.    

LIQUID  1 c.         1 c.         1 c.         1 c.        

Gravy

    Using the pan you prepared your meat in, drain all fats from the bottom of the pan except 1-4T.

    Stir in the flour, making sure to loosen the “browning” in the bottom of the pan.  Season with salt and pepper. Add liquid: milk for milk gravy; water for regular gravy, or do not add salt and use the water you cooked potatoes in for mashed potatoes.  It is already salted and will also add the starches and nutrients from the potatoes to your gravy.   Cook until smooth and thickened. You can add onions or mushrooms to the meat drippings for more flavorful gravy.  (barryfarm.com)

Basic stir-fry sauce

good all-round sauce.

2/3 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/3 cup rice wine or rice vinegar

3 1/2 Tbsp. sugar

1 Tbsp. sesame oil

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 tablespoon minced ginger

2 Tbsp.  cornstarch

Sweet and sour stir-fry sauce

great with chicken, pork, beef and shrimp.

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/3 cup white vinegar

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup pineapple juice (or addition 1/4 cup water)

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/4 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp. cornstarch (fortysomething.ca

Barbecue sauce

1 1/2 cups ketchup

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

3 medium garlic cloves, finely chopped

3 tablespoons cider vinegar

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons paprika

3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon celery salt

1/2 cup water

    Combine all ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring until ingredients are completely incorporated. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer until flavors have melded and sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. If not used right away, cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. (chow.com)

Teriyaki sauce for chicken and steak

1/2 cup vegetable oil

1 cup soy sauce

3 tablespoons brown sugar

3 cloves garlic, mashed

1 tablespoon grated fresh ginger root

2 tablespoons sherry

    Combine and mix well. Marinate for 4-12 hours refrigerated.

Tempura sauce

1 cup soy sauce

6 tablespoons granulated sugar

3 slices fresh ginger

1/2 lime, juiced

1/4 cup dry sherry

1 package Dashi-no-moto (dried bonito flakes)

OR

1 tablespoon Bulk dashi-no-moto

1 cup boiling water

    Combine the soy sauce, sugar, ginger, lime juice and sherry in a pint jar. Cover and let stand overnight. In a mixing bowl, combine the dashi-no-moto and the boiling water. Let stand one minute and remove packet or, if bulk dashi-no-moto is used, strain and reserve the liquid. Stir this into the soy mixture. Pour the sauce into individual dishes. (cdkitchen.com)

Pesto sauce

1 cloves garlic, peeled

3 tablespoons raw pine nuts

¼ teaspoon salt

3 cups sweet basil leaves, gently packed

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

    In a food processor (or hand held blender), process the garlic, pine nuts and salt until finely ground. About 15 seconds. Add the basil leaves to the bowl and process in spurts until no whole leaves remain. With the machine running, pour the oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Stop and scrape down the sides, then process for several more seconds. The mixture should be ground to a paste-like consistency but a little bit of the leaves’ texture should remain. If necessary, quickly pulse the mixture again. Add the cheese and pulse until just incorporated. Serve immediately. (herb.co.za) — Photos from the wires (FREEMAN)