Condiments

I guess I write a lot about condiments, because I love them so much; the only person I know with more condiments in their fridge is my friend Michael in Chicago! While I have gone on and on about mustard, Sriracha and various little bottles of deliciousness, I thought I would highlight a couple of others you should consider adding to your pantry to use regularly.

Heinz Chile Sauce
One of Heinz's classics, this is ketchup with a slight kick. Enjoy it with sweet potato fries or mix with with mayonnaise for a creamy, spicy dipping sauce.  Many people also use it as a 'secret' ingredient in cocktail sauce.

Pickapeppa Sauce
A Jamaican original since 1921, Pickapeppa is like Worcestershire sauce with a little something extra. It has flavors of citrus and the oak barrels it's aged in, so brings that umami essence everyone likes to talk so much about. Basically, you can add it to anything savory. Or try the classic, 'Big Easy' which is Pickapeppa on cream cheese...just add crackers.

Cholula Lime
Cholula is a hot sauce from a recipe that claims to be over 100 years old, produced by three generations. It's been available is the US for about 20 years and is delicious on everything. I literally put it on everything. But they've added some new flavors profiles, including one with lime which is delicious on tacos, burritos, soup, i.e. on everything. Look for the green wooden top instead of the traditional blond wood one.

Herdez Salsa
A friend introduced me to Herdez salsa while I was living in Wichita; she was addicted to the green salsa they produce. I do love it, but their salsa casera is also delicious. It's what I think of as a more traditional Mexican salsa--perhaps made without the tamato sauce that is the basis of many produced in the US? So even though it is a jarred salsa, it seems very fresh. It fries up perfectly for chilaquiles and is the perfect addition to your favorite tacos.

Now, back to mustard...

BBQ Pizza, BBQ Everything

For dinner tonight, I made BBQ "chicken" pizzas and they were pretty delicious. For the "chicken," I rehydrated Butler Soy Curls and seasoned them with thyme, garlic powder, onion powder and a little BBQ sauce. For the sauce, I used my new favorite which is the hickory flavor from Garland Jack's Secret Six made in Garland, TX right outside of Dallas.  It is delicious on everything and I suggest that if you cannot find a bottle in your store, you should order some online. They don't stock the "squealin' hot" flavor here, so I think am going to order some of that.  So, started with the special sauce, added thinly sliced red onion, a mixture of Daiya cheeses, soy curls and them topped them with fresh cilantro when it came out of the oven. Of course, I had to spice mine up with a little Sriracha sauce, but I have to do that regardless of what kind of pizza it is!

Green Chile Pasta

When we were in Mexico a couple of years ago, we had dinner at a little Italian place, twice I think--it was either that or another quesadilla!  They served an avocado pasta sauce that somehow blended the ingredients of the Yucatan with the cuisine of Italy. It was more than memorable, it was unique and special. Unforgettable.

I haven't tried to recreate it, but the idea has lingered in my mind. And the other day I was thinking about those green chiles in my freezer, the avocado sauce, citrus...and a creamy pasta sauce. This was my first attempt, but I think it turned out very well...

Recipe: Green Chile-Avocado Pasta Sauce
The subtle heat and buttery flavor of the Hatch chiles is emphasized by the avocado and lime. Utterly delicious and decadent.

Ingredients
1 lb. bow tie or linguine pasta
6-7 Hatch (Anaheim) green chiles, roasted, seeded and skinned (you should be able to find those in your freezer if you went to all of that trouble earlier in the year.)
1 large avocado, seeded, diced and skinned
Zest and juice of one lime
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 oz. cream cheese (This is what I did with the leftover from the Hot Onion Soufflé!)
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup cilantro, thick stems removed
1 Serrano pepper, halved and seeded, cut into large pieces
Salt to taste

Directions
Cook pasta according to directions on the package. In a food processor, combine all the other ingredients and process until smooth. Once pasta is cooked, reserve 1/2 cup pasta water, drain and stir in sauce. Add pasta water until a smooth, creamy consistency is reached. Taste and adjust seasoning.

I added a can a drained and rinsed garbanzo beans, but you could choose any protein you might like.

Mustard

When you hear mustard, you probably think of a squeeze of bright yellow on top of your hot dog at the ballpark. It is, at the same time, one of the most common and exotic condiments you may have in your fridge. Mustard has been used in the cuisines of cultures around the world since ancient times, but it was the Romans who mixed it with a base form of vinegar to create the first 'prepared' mustard.  At its most basic, mustard is made from the seeds of the mustard plant that have been ground and mixed with vinegar and other spices; it can be subtle or bring tears to your eyes.  Classic yellow mustard is made from a very fine ground of seeds, while Dijon and other coarse ground mustards have more of the whole seeds in them. You can, of course, buy mustard prepared, or in the seed or powder form.

I guess I am a little obsessed with mustard; it's my favorite condiment and always has been. Even as a child, I preferred it's spicy flavor with my sandwiches. Mayonnaise (or Miracle Whip, as was served in our house) was great in chicken salad and ketchup was a must for fries, but if it was a burger or sandwich, I wanted mustard.  But don't relegate mustard to just your lunch, it has many other fantastic uses in the kitchen, bringing its bright, piquant flavor to an array of dishes. 

1. First of all, let's talk vinaigrette. A tablespoon of mustard added at the beginning of your preparation helps to bind and emulsify the dressing, plus adds tangy flavor. I prefer to use a whole grain mustard for vinaigrettes, and my go-to is actually a hot and spicy variety from Woeber's:

They have been making mustards for over 100 years and sell a variety of styles and flavors.  I am always looking at different mustards at the store and just found another from them, Mister Mustard, which is smooth and hot, plus has a super cute label.

2. Sauces. A mustard dill sauces is a classic for fish, but could be used to lift any protein from the simple to the superb.  And mustard is often the hidden star of many barbecue sauces.  I would say that mustard is the secret ingredient in Mildred's Bakes Beans (plus loads of garlic) that keep them from being simpering and sweet--and it's the recipe I'm always asked for.

3. With potatoes.  Yes, everyone loves a creamy potato salad, but I bet you can talk people into loving a mustardy potato salad!  Just say, "it's potato salad" and let them figure out why it's so delicious on their own.

4. A dipping sauce.  Sure, any mustard is great for dipping your corn dog in, but this mustard sauce will be delicious with just about anything from nuggets to meatballs, fried tofu to sweet potato fries.  I've served it at more than one party...

Recipe: Apricot Dipping Sauce

1/2 cup apricot preserves

1 tbsp. water

2 tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. Dijon or coarse-ground mustard

1/4 tsp. minced fresh ginger

Puree all ingredients in a blender until smooth.  Simply and delicious.

5.  When I say, 'bloody,' you say?  Mary!  The Cajun Bloody Mary is just one in a long list of drink recipes at Saveur, but it delicious and again mustard is the supporting actress that makes it so successful. 

6. Mustard caviar.  What?!  It's not really caviar, but in this recipe, mustard seeds are plumped in vinegar so they pop in the mouth like caviar, adding instant zing to a recipe.  I haven't made this yet, but it is the list to try and I am imagining it as a capricious garnish to my favorite deviled egg recipe, which of course is made with mustard--and dill!  Or perhaps with my mushroom pâté?

So whatever you're making, think about how a little bit of mustard might add just the right touch to you recipe...

Uruguayan

Friday night after the Swope event, we were out with friends at Moggers to enjoy a little food and a couple of drinks. Jimmy turned to me and said, "Name a country." Without hesitation, I responded, "Uruguay."

Why? I have no idea. I was tired and it just popped into my head. What was Jimmy asking? Inspiration for his Saturday night menu, which we were going to enjoy before catching up on Top Chef. Or course, Jimmy hadn't qualified his question and I just answered it randomly. I know if he had said, "What type of cuisine would you like to have tomorrow?," I would never have said Uruguay. Probably Thai or Chinese. Maybe something Moroccan as there has been a lot of talk about tagines lately. But never Uruguay.

Why? I've never had it and probably never will. It's meaty and about grilling, roasting and asado. Asado is the traditional grilling of beef over hot coals. Of course, since we're all vegetarians, Jimmy is not going to be doing any beef asado. But thankfully, there are other influences important to Uruguayan cuisine and he whipped up a delicious pasta with Sauce Caruso.

What is Sauce Caruso? A Uruguayan sauce created in honor of a visit to South American by the famous tenor, Enrico Caruso. After, it spread the globe and every restaurant in Uruguay is encouraged to include it on their menu. Sauce Caruso is made from cream, sliced onions, mushroom, warming spices and walnuts. It also traditionally includes ham, but of course Jimmy left that out, but added some seitan. A light purple-y color, tossed with campanelle and tossed with a little cheese, the sauce was delicious. And Jimmy sent us home with leftovers. (Just as delicious the next day!) Amazing. So, he took the peculiar challenge and won it. Five stars.

And dessert? Ellie made the traditional Uruguayan dessert of rich, delicious browning topped with vanilla ice cream and caramel sauce. Seriously, they invented it and we thank them. Possibly the best brownie ever...

I'm not sure where Jimmy got his recipe from, but here is a recipe for Sauce Caruso if you are intrigued. And you should be.