“CREAM CHEESE” WITH PEPPER AND HERBS
Slather this buttery spread onto toasted bagels, rye or pumpernickel bread, or crackers. Top with thinly sliced cucumbers or smoked salmon. Feel free to vary the recipe by, say, adding shredded fresh carrots, minced red onion or shallot, or thinly sliced green onion. MAKES A GENEROUS 3/4 CUP INGREDIENTS 3/4 cup plain silken tofu […]
MANGO SAUCE
Makes about 2 ½ cups This flavorful sauce adds a sweet–tart note and a hit of color to ice cream, cakes, and other desserts. SPECIAL EQUIPMENT: Blender or food processor SHELF LIFE: 2 days INGREDIENTS 2 large or 3 medium ripe mangoes, peeled, pitted, and cut into chunks 2 tablespoons strained fresh lime juice […]
LEMON CURD or SAUCE
Makes 1⅓ cups curd or up to 2⅔ cups sauce This recipe is two recipes in one! It makes a thick, rich lemon curd that’s great for scones and tarts. You can also thin it out with a little heavy cream for a mouth-puckering sauce that’s perfect for ice cream sundaes. It’s important that your […]
COCONUT WITH HARISSA DIPPING SAUCE
This is an excellent sauce for any small fried bites such as tempura vegetables or fried shrimp. It’s also excellent with spring rolls and even dumplings. Harissa is a spicy red pepper paste that is common to North African cuisine. You can find it in Middle Eastern grocery stores or gourmet markets. Coconut nectar, which […]
BASBAAS
BasBaas is a spicy Somali sauce served mainly as a condiment to enhance otherwise mild Somali cuisine. In many ways, it is reminiscent of Indian cilantro chutney with a bright zing from lime juice. This is another one of those preparations that can be used as a dip, a condiment or as a traditional sauce […]
TAMARIND AND DATE SAUCE
Lovers of Indian food will recognize this tamarind and date sauce as a popular condiment for fried snacks such as samosas—the vegetable-or meat-stuffed triangular turnover. However, this sauce is also excellent as a dip for fried chicken wings or shrimp kebabs. It can also be spooned over seared chicken breast or filet mignon. Dates provide […]
CHINESE SCALLION AND GINGER SAUCE
This sauce is a great example of how the simplest preparations can offer the most complex tastes. This sauce is usually served as an accompaniment to dim sum in Chinese restaurants, and it is surely addictive. It’s great with dumplings, spring rolls and savory crêpes as well as pan-seared meats or stir-fried vegetables. It’s so […]
FIVE-SPICE AND BROWN SUGAR COMPOUND BUTTER
In this recipe, brown sugar combines with the warmly aromatic flavors of Chinese five-spice powder, which features anise, cinnamon, Sichuan pepper, fennel and cloves and is available in Asian markets. This particular mix is well balanced enough for both sweet and savory uses, but you can increase or decrease the amount of sugar to achieve […]
RUMMY FRUIT COMPOUND BUTTER
This fruit butter is based on the initial steps toward making Black Cake, a Caribbean Christmas cake for which Ramin is famous among our friends and family. The cake calls for dried fruits soaked in rum and puréed then added to a cake batter made with plenty of butter. Normally, the fruits for the cake […]
CANDIED GINGER AND APRICOT SAUCE
This elegant sauce came about after experimenting with dried apricots and candied ginger in a bread pudding that was spiced with cardamom and served with a saffron rosewater crème anglaise. The combination of tart, aromatic and astringent flavors was so heavenly it seemed a shame not harness them in a more a versatile form for […]