I always like to have a few sauces in my fridge, ready to use whenever I need something to compliment a meal or to use as a marinade. There’s some great commercial products out there that make things more convenient and keep in your fridge longer than anything you make yourself, the only benefit of taking the time to make your own sauces is that you control what goes into yours. It’s healthier and way cooler anyway.
Teriyaki Sauce
This is one of those versatile sauces. I personally love to use this one for stir-frys and to marinade salmon.
For a stir-fry simply mix with hoisin sauce.
For salmon, marinade for about 20 minutes, shake off excess sauce and bake at 350F for about
15 to 20 minutes.
Ingredients:
5ml Vegetable oil (Substitute with sesame oil if you have it)
½ Pineapple, fresh, cubed
25g Ginger, chopped
25g Garlic, chopped
½ cup Brown sugar
2 cups Soy Sauce
50ml Sake (optional)
50g Cornstarch
50ml Water
Directions:
1. Heat up your oil with medium low heat and sauté pineapple.
2. Add the ginger, garlic and sweat until the pineapple starts to release juices.
3. Add brown sugar and let dissolve before adding the soy sauce.
4. Bring to a simmer and with a fork, check the softness of the pineapple.
5. Blend together when pineapple is tender.
6. In a cup or glass stir together the cornstarch and water to make a slurry.
7. Bring sauce to a boil and add the slurry to thicken. Make sure that the sauce is boiling and add slowly while stirring until the consistency coats the back of a spoon.
(You may not need to add all the slurry or you might need to add more, it really depends on the chemical reaction between the cornstarch and the acidity in the pineapple, more acidic content = more cornstarch)
8. When you feel that the sauce is thick enough, simmer for a few minutes to cook out the starch.
9. Sift sauce for a smoother consistency.
(If the consistency is too thick you can correct by adding water.)
*Keeps in the fridge for up to two weeks and frozen for a few months.
Alfredo Sauce
This sauce doesn’t keep in the fridge for long so make it when you’re going to use it right away or within a few days. The benefit of learning to make this sauce is that while the ingredients may change, the process can be used for most cream based sauces. For example, substitute the parmesan with cheddar to make mac & cheese.
Ingredients:
5ml Vegetable oil
100g Garlic, minced
250ml Dry white wine
500ml Heavy cream, 35%
100g Butter
100g Flour, all purpose
Pinch Nutmeg
150g Parmesan
To taste Salt & pepper
Directions:
1. In a sauce pot, heat up the oil and garlic over medium low heat, just so that the garlic starts to get fragrant.
2. Add the wine and turn the heat up and reduce the wine by half.
3. Add the cream and simmer for a few minutes while you make your roux.
4. In a separate sauce pot, melt the butter over low heat.
5. Add the flour and mix together to a paste consistency.
6. Pour the sauce into the roux slowly, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming.
7. Add the rest of your ingredients and simmer for a few minutes.
8. Check and adjust the consistency if needed. Sauce should coat the back of a spoon. Adjust seasoning.
(Sauce will thicken once it cools down to remember to keep some extra cream to adjust the consistency when you heat it up.)
Marinara Sauce
I love this sauce because it’s simple and can be used in many ways. You can use it as a dipping sauce, added to chicken, ground beef or shrimp for pasta, or you can mix it with Alfredo to make a Rosè sauce. You can also add heavy cream to make a cream of tomato soup. And no, the name does not refer to the use of seafood products.
Ingredients:
5ml Extra virgin olive oil
150g Onion, sliced
150g Celery, sliced
50g Garlic, chopped
25g Oregano, dried
10g Chili flakes
1 can Crushed tomatoes
50g Basil, fresh, thinly sliced
To taste Salt & pepper
Directions:
1. In a small sauce pot, heat up oil over medium heat and add onions and celery. Sweat until onions are translucent.
2. Add garlic, oregano and chili flakes.
3. Add crushed tomatoes and bring to a simmer.
4. Blend the sauce well and return to pot.
5. Add Basil and adjust seasoning.
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