Recipes

Charif

Charif

Charif is a spicy sauce attributed to North African Jewish cuisine. Essentially a purée of various ingredients in a tomato base, charif serves triple duty as a condiment, a seasoning paste for meats or, when watered down, a cooking sauce for fish. Our version ups the traditional amount of tomatoes for a more sauce-like consistency. We like to use jarred red hot cherry peppers for this sauce as well as a dash of Aleppo pepper—a hot pepper flake originally from Syria, because we feel the sweetness of the cherry pepper and the fruity, cumin-like notes from the Aleppo pepper make for a more complex sauce. Although this fast sauce can be used immediately, refrigerating the sauce at least overnight allows the flavor to develop further, so do so if you can.
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to broil.
  • Brush the bell pepper with olive oil and place it on a tin foiled lined rimmed sheet pan or in a baking dish.
  • Broil the pepper in the preheated oven until it’s blackened and blistered on one side, about 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Using tongs, turn over the pepper and roast the other side until blackened and blistered, another 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Remove the pepper from the oven and allow it to cool enough to handle.
  • Peel the skin from the peppers and remove the stems and seeds.
  • Place the red bell pepper and the remaining olive oil, garlic, cherry peppers, pepper flakes, vinegar, tomatoes, salt, cumin and coriander in the bowl of a food processor and pulse to a thick sauce, about 1 minute.
  • Scrape the sauce into an airtight container and refrigerate.
  • Pour, as desired, over fish pieces to stew or over whole, deep-fried fish such as larger sardines or red mullet.
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Course; Sauce

Miso brown butter sauce

Miso brown butter sauce

Caramelized butter combined with the umami saltiness of white miso makes this a robust sauce that goes well with pork, chicken, roasted vegetables and even pasta. This recipe calls for white miso, which has the mildest color and flavor, making it easier to pair with other sauce ingredients without overwhelming the final product. There are only three ingredients in this simple but delicious sauce, but the fourth is patience. The trick for an excellent final result is that the butter be browned slowly, allowing the milk solids to caramelize. Raise the heat too high or leave the pan unattended and you run the risk of scorching the butter for a burned and unpalatable mess
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place all the butter pieces evenly in a medium skillet set over low heat.
  • When the butter pieces begin to melt, gently stir them with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon.
  • Keep stirring vigorously while the butter is cooking and continues to bubble and brown, about 10 to 11 minutes.
  • Once the butter is about the color of light brown sugar, pour the mixture out of a pan through a fine mesh sieve into a waiting bowl—the butter will continue to brown for a time after it is removed from the hot pan.
  • Whisk in the miso paste until it is totally combined and season with the white pepper.
  • Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer—it will be lumpy.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot over breaded, baked bay scallops of your choice or toss with pasta or grilled or roasted vegetables.
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Course; Sauce

Meyer lemon and tarragon beurre blanc

Meyer lemon and tarragon beurre blanc

This version of Beurre Blanc, the classic French white sauce, is more traditional in its use of shallots but forgoes vinegar for the aromatic and balanced tartness of Meyer lemon juice. We use Meyer lemon zest to finish the sauce at the end as well. If you cannot find Meyer lemons, then by all means substitute regular lemon juice—as long as it is fresh and not from a bottle. Tarragon is an herb that works particularly well with lemon and white wine, and we find that this simple sauce really elevates mild fish like sole, flounder or fluke.
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Ingredients

MAKES: 360 ml

  • 1 shallot finely minced
  • 4 g finely minced tarragon
  • 60 ml freshly squeezed
  • Meyer lemon juice
  • 60 ml very dry white wine
  • 24 tbsp 360 g cold butter, cut into tablespoon-size (15-g) chunks
  • ¼ tsp salt or more to taste
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • 5 ml Meyer lemon zest

Instructions

  • Combine the shallot, tarragon, Meyer lemon juice and white wine in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
  • Boil this mixture until almost all of the liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes.
  • You should have about 1½ tablespoons (22 ml) of liquid left.
  • Reduce heat to its lowest setting and add 1 tablespoon (15 g) of butter and whisk until it melts.
  • Continue with the remaining pieces of butter, whisking each piece until it melts before adding the next piece.
  • This will take you about 15 minutes.
  • Once all the butter is incorporated, add the salt, pepper and lemon zest and whisk again to combine.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve over mild fish or pan seared scallops.
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Course; Sauce

Roasted garlic beurre blanc

Roasted garlic beurre blanc

Beurre Blanc is a traditional French mild and creamy emulsified sauce served hot like Hollandaise. It is velvety and rich and is a wonderful canvas upon which to build layers of flavor using herbs and seasoning. Unlike Hollandaise, it does not have egg yolks, and unlike cold emulsifications like mayonnaise, it is thick and coats foods nicely without being spreadable. Beurre blanc translates to white butter, which is the main ingredient in the sauce. When making Beurre Blanc, use very cold butter, as that is a key aspect of making the emulsification work. Another trick to ensure that your sauce doesn’t break is to cook it over a very low heat, and absolutely do not let it come to a boil. If, however, your sauce breaks or does not come together, you can use a small amount of cream to bind it. We offer two versions of Beurre Blanc in this book—this one, which uses vinegar as is traditional but substitutes the sweetness of roasted garlic for the customary shallots, and another that makes use of Meyer lemon and tarragon.
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Ingredients

MAKES: 360 ml

  • 1 head garlic
  • 15 ml olive oil
  • 60 ml white wine vinegar
  • 60 ml very dry white wine
  • 24 tbsp 360 g cold butter, cut into tablespoon-size (15-g) chunks
  • ½ tsp salt or more to taste
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • 10 ml fresh squeezed lemon juice

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C).
  • Holding the garlic head sideways, trim ¼ inch (6 mm) off the top.
  • Set the garlic on a piece of tin foil that is large enough to enfold it.
  • Drizzle the garlic with the olive oil and wrap it in the foil.
  • Bake for 1 hour or until the garlic is browned and can be pierced easily with a fork.
  • Remove from the oven and cool.
  • Peel 8 to 10 cloves of the roasted garlic and mash lightly with a fork.
  • Combine this in a medium saucepan over medium heat along with the wine vinegar and wine.
  • Whisk well to combine.
  • Boil this mixture until almost all of the liquid is reduced, about 10 minutes.
  • You should have about 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the garlic mixture left.
  • Reduce the heat to its lowest setting and add 1 tablespoon (15 g) of butter and whisk until it melts.
  • Continue with the remaining pieces of butter, whisking each piece until it melts before adding the next piece.
  • This will take roughly 15 minutes.
  • Once all the butter is incorporated, add the salt, pepper and lemon juice and whisk again to combine.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve over breaded, fried fish fillets such as rainbow trout.
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Course; Sauce

Rum lime glaze

Rum lime glaze

The classic Caribbean pairings of rum and lime are often used with fish and for good reason. The citrus freshness of the lime and the aromatic sweetness of the rum are naturally good together. We find that this is an ideal glaze for grilled fish whether they are whole, fillets or chunks as for kebabs. This is a particularly good glaze for grilled shrimp or scallop.
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Ingredients

MAKES: about 120 ml

Instructions

  • Heat the safflower oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add the shallot.
  • Fry the shallot until it’s softened and clear, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the rum and the lime juice and reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • Simmer until the mixture is almost evaporated, 9 to 10 minutes.
  • Pour in the chicken stock and add the brown sugar, chili powder and allspice.
  • Simmer the mixture until bubbles spread evenly across the pan and the mixture can coat the back of a spoon without dripping, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the butter until melted.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot over a thick cut of fish steak that has been grilled or pan seared.
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Course; Sauce

Sour cream and caramelized sweet onion sauce

Sour cream and caramelized sweet onion sauce

Consider this sauce the sophisticated version of classic sour cream and onion dip. Featuring caramelized onions, the sauce is both sweet and creamy with a hint of umami—meatiness. It can be used cold as a topper for crudités or chips, but heated up with a little heavy cream it is an ideal sauce for grilled chicken breasts, pork chops or baked potatoes. It is also an excellent cold sauce for a composed salad. Use any variety of sweet onion such as Vidalia, Walla Walla or Maui Sweets for the best results.
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Ingredients

MAKES: 480 ml

Instructions

  • Heat the butter and oil in a medium frying pan over medium-low heat until the butter melts.
  • Add the onion and fry for 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and reduce the heat to low and continue to fry until the onion is deeply golden brown and soft, about 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Season with salt, freshly ground pepper to taste and the thyme leaves.
  • Fry for 1 minute more.
  • Remove the onion from the heat and allow it to cool completely.
  • Scrape the onion and garlic into the bowl of a food processor or blender and pulse a few times into a coarse paste.
  • In a medium bowl, mix together the onion and sour cream and serve cold as a dip for crudités or chips.
  • To use as a warm sauce, place the sour cream mixture in a small saucepan with the heavy cream over low heat.
  • Heat the sauce for 1 to 2 minutes, whisking well the whole time.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve warm over fish, meats or steamed vegetables.
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Course; Sauce

Umeboshi plum vinegar glaze

Umeboshi plum vinegar glaze

This glaze makes use of umeboshi or ume plums, a small Japanese plum that is usually pickled whole or processed into a paste. The spiciness of fresh ginger and sake round out this unique glaze that is particularly ideal for oily and fatty fish such as salmon or sardines. As with any wine or liquor used in cooking, use the best quality sake you can find to deglaze the pan in this recipe—ideally one that would traditionally be consumed hot rather than cold.
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Ingredients

MAKES: 240 ml

  • 15 ml safflower oil
  • ½ shallot minced
  • 9 g grated fresh ginger
  • 60 ml sake
  • 60 ml ume plum vinegar
  • 240 mlChicken Stock
  • 45 ml umeboshi plum paste
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • â…› tsp star anise powder
  • ¼ tsp salt or to taste
  • 15 g European style butter

Instructions

  • Heat the safflower oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add the shallot.
  • Sauté the shallot until softened and clear, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the grated ginger and sauté 1 minute more.
  • Add the sake and the ume plum vinegar and stir well.
  • Reduce the heat to a simmer and simmer until almost evaporated, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Add the chicken stock, umeboshi plum paste, white pepper, star anise powder and salt and whisk well.
  • Simmer the mixture until bubbles spread evenly across the pan and the mixture can coat the back of a spoon without dripping, about 8 to 9 minutes.
  • Stir in the butter until it’s melted.
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Course; Sauce

Apricot sauvignon blanc pan sauce

Apricot sauvignon blanc pan sauce

This fruity pan sauce offers a bright alternative to a simple spritz of lemon or lime on fish. It works equally well on fish fillets or as a dipping sauce for shrimp, crab or lobster. Apricot juice is readily found in most supermarkets but we find that Santa Cruz Organic is a widely available brand with excellent flavor and consistency. Sauvignon Blanc is the wine we choose for this sauce because of its clean, acid composition. The New Zealand sauvignons are among our favorites. This sauce works well with pan-seared chicken breasts as well, in which case, you can use the same pan in which you seared the chicken to make the sauce.
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Heat the safflower oil in a medium sauté pan over medium heat and add the shallot.
  • Sauté the shallot until softened and clear, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Add the thyme and sauté 1 minute more.
  • Add the sauvignon blanc and reduce the heat to a simmer.
  • Simmer until the wine is almost entirely evaporated, about 5 to 6 minutes.
  • Add the chicken stock and apricot juice, apricot preserves, white pepper and salt.
  • Whisk well to dissolve the preserves and continue to simmer the mixture until bubbles spread evenly across the pan and the mixture can coat the back of a spoon without dripping, about 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Stir in the butter until it’s melted.
  • Serve hot over baked flounder or halibut or use as a dipping sauce for lobster or crab legs.
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Course; Sauce

Szechuan peppercorn mignonette

Szechuan peppercorn mignonette

Mignonette is a classic sauce served with raw oysters, although we find it can be an excellent dipping sauce for fried oysters as well. It’s also great on raw clams on the half shell. Mignonettes always feature shallots or onions, peppercorns and vinegar. Our version calls for pink Szechuan peppercorns—a spicier peppercorn than black, white or green varieties, scallions and rice wine vinegar. You can keep mignonettes for quite a few weeks in the refrigerator—it won’t go bad, but the pepper flavor will get more intense, so keep that in mind
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl and refrigerate in a sealed container until ready to use.
  • Serve 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of sauce on raw, chilled oysters
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Course; Sauce

Dukkah compound butter

Dukkah compound butter

We love compound butters because they are a versatile way to add flavor to existing sauces, serve as a flavorful condiment or topping or, melted, become a sauce in themselves. This version makes use of dukkah, a tangy, woody Egyptian seasoning mixture that is made of toasted nuts, herbs and spices and is used to flavor proteins or served with olive oil as a dip for pita bread. Here we’ve mixed dukkah with softened butter that is then re-chilled. It is ideal for a quick sauce for meats or even vegetables but one of our favorite uses is to melt the Dukkah Compound Butter and use it to baste sunny-side up eggs to complete their cooking while infusing flavor.
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Equipment

  • Small bowl

Ingredients

Instructions

  • In a small bowl, mix the butter and dukkah together until well combined.
  • Scrape the flavored butter into a small dish and cover well with plastic wrap.
  • Refrigerate until the butter is hard, about 8 hours.
  • Use slices on top of grilled or pan seared poultry and meat or melted to finish sunny-side up eggs.
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Course; Butter