Recipes

Burnt sugar with scotch bonnet steak sauce

Burnt sugar with scotch bonnet steak sauce

This sauce is a riff on the Caribbean method of stewing meats by first caramelizing sugar to a dark brown then adding seasonings and water. In this thick steak sauce we use both brown sugar and molasses to create layers of flavor. Scotch bonnet or habañero peppers are commonly used in Caribbean stew sauces and they are incredibly hot—that’s why we only call for ¼ of one small pepper in this sauce. Of course you can add more as you like. Whenever you work with extremely hot peppers we suggest using gloves and keeping white vinegar handy—it’s extremely effective for removing the pepper oils from counters, knives, cutting boards and hands. Another key seasoning in this sauce is culantro, a tropical herb similar in flavor to cilantro but without the soapy aftertaste many people perceive from cilantro. If you can’t find it, substitute cilantro instead.
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Ingredients

MAKES: 480 ml

  • 30 ml safflower oil
  • 1 small shallot minced
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 g fresh thyme minced
  • 4 g chopped culantro or cilantro
  • 2 tsp 10 g dark brown sugar
  • ¼ small scotch bonnet habañero pepper, stemmed, seeded and minced finely
  • 120 ml spiced rum
  • 15 ml tomato paste
  • 240 mltomato purée
  • 1¼ cups 300 ml Meat Stock
  • 30 ml molasses
  • 30 ml Worcestershire sauce
  • ½ tsp allspice
  • â…› tsp ground cloves
  • ½ tsp salt

Instructions

  • Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the safflower oil.
  • Add the shallot, garlic and thyme and sauté until the shallot is softened, about 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Stir in the chopped culantro and sauté for 30 seconds more.
  • Add the sugar and heat, until it becomes caramelized and medium brown in color, about 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the scotch bonnet and sauté for about 30 seconds.
  • Pour in the rum and simmer until the liquid is reduced down to 1 tablespoon (15 ml), about 2 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the tomato paste and sauté for 1 minute; while whisking add the tomato purée, beef stock, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, allspice, cloves and salt and simmer on medium high for 20 minutes until the mixture is reduced to the texture of marina sauce.
  • Pour the sauce into a food processor or heavy-duty blender and purée until it is smooth.
  • Return to the pan and simmer for 5 minutes more.
  • Cool and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Notes & Wine Advice

Use as a dipping sauce for steak.
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Course; Sauce

Pinot noir and cassareep pan sauce

Pinot noir and cassareep pan sauce

Cassareep is made from the juice of the yuca (cassava), a tropical tuber. The yuca is grated and its liquid is pressed out then boiled with various spices to create a dark, aromatic syrup. When raw, both the yuca and its juice are toxic, but when cooked they are perfectly fine. In fact, yuca is the basis for tapioca. Cassareep is a specialty of Guyana that has made its way through the Caribbean and is a critical ingredient in the hearty beef stew known as pepperpot. Here we use it to flavor a red wine pan sauce to add a slight bittersweet edge to the plummy red wine, marrying old and new world flavors to the best taste advantage. This pan sauce is excellent for a bone-in steak like a porterhouse or for grilled game meats like venison or elk.
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Ingredients

MAKES: 120 ml

  • 10 ml safflower oil
  • 2 tbsp 18 g minced shallot
  • ¼ tsp minced fresh thyme
  • ½ tsp tomato paste
  • 120 ml pinot noir
  • 1¼ cups 300 ml Meat Stock
  • 1½ tbsp 22 ml cassareep
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • â…› tsp cayenne pepper
  • 15 gcold butter

Instructions

  • Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat and add the safflower oil.
  • Add the shallot and thyme and sauté until the shallot is softened, about 2 to 3 minutes.
  • Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
  • Pour in the pinot noir and simmer until the liquid is reduced down to 1 tablespoon (15 ml), about 7 to 8 minutes.
  • Add the beef stock and cassareep and simmer until bubbles form evenly across the surface of the pan and the sauce can evenly coat the back of a spoon without dripping, about 8 to 9 minutes.
  • Season with salt and cayenne pepper and remove the pan from the heat.
  • Add the butter and swirl or whisk until melted.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve with grilled beef or game meats or brushed as a finishing sauce onto braised oxtails.
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Course; Sauce

Grilled peach and bourbon sauce

Grilled peach and bourbon sauce

Fruit sauces like this one and the Sour Cherry Chili Sauce work wonderfully well with pork. The sweet and smoky flavor of a grilled peach is an ideal complement to the smokiness of a good quality bourbon. Ginger adds a bit of heat without spice. Serve this with pork chops, pork kebabs or even use as a glaze for ham
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Ingredients

MAKES: about 120 ml

Instructions

  • Preheat the grill to high and brush the two peach halves with safflower oil.
  • Grill, away from the direct heat, flesh side down, for 3 to 8 minutes, then turn over and grill skin side down for 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Remove the peach halves from the grill and then allow them to cool.
  • When they are cool enough to handle, purée in a heavy-duty food processor or blender.
  • Strain the purée through a fine mesh sieve to remove any pieces of skin.
  • Set aside.
  • 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 1 to 2 minutes.
  • Add the grated ginger and fry 1 minute more.
  • Add the bourbon and stir well.
  • Reduce heat to a simmer and simmer until it is reduced to about 1 tablespoon (15 ml), about 2 to 4 minutes.
  • Add the chicken stock, grilled peach purée, white pepper, allspice 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 5 to 7 minutes.
  • Stir in the butter until it’s melted.

Notes & Wine Advice

Serve hot over pork chops or as a glaze on grilled pork kebabs.
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Course; Fruit

Saffron and mace vinaigrette

Saffron and mace vinaigrette

We tend to think of vinaigrette as salad dressing but this quick sauce has a wide variety of potential uses from a marinade for meats and fish to a dip for crudités. This version uses saffron, which adds bold color and a delicate aroma and taste. Mace is a somewhat astringent spice that comes from the membrane surrounding a nutmeg, and it complements saffron’s flavor nicely. This vinaigrette is good spooned over any firm fleshed white fish and is delightful on steamed vegetables too. Whenever we make vinaigrettes we like to macerate the herbs and aromatics in the vinegar for a short time before adding the oil; this allows their full flavor to imbue the vinegar and, ultimately, the completed vinaigrette.
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Ingredients

MAKES: about 360 ml

Instructions

  • Dissolve the saffron in 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of boiling water and set aside for the color to deepen and the water to cool.
  • Combine the sugar and vinegar in a medium bowl and whisk well so that the sugar dissolves.
  • Add the shallot and thyme and set aside for 10 minutes.
  • Stir in the saffron water, salt, pepper and mace.
  • Pour the olive oil into the vinegar mixture in a thin stream while whisking vigorously until all the olive oil is used up.
  • Use immediately over steamed vegetables or grilled white Alaskan salmon and store in a sealed container for up to 2 days.
  • Shake the vinaigrette well to use if it has been sitting.
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Course; Dressing

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