How to cook versatile sauces
Dress up your meals
Who doesn’t love a sauce? Whether it’s a salad or a grilled piece of chicken or fish, many of our meals can benefit from a tasty sauce to deliver a delicious burst of flavor. Having these versatile and easy-to-make-ahead sauces on hand will help you add interest to simple meals in a convenient way.
- 1 cup chopped fresh tarragon
- ½ cup chopped chives
- ½ cup yogurt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 3 tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 2 teaspoon honey
In food processor or blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth. Store in covered jar in refrigerator. Sauce will thicken up in the refrigerator, so allow it to come to room temperature before using on salads.
- 1 cup raw cashews presoaked
- ¾ cup water
- 3 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
- 1 tablespoon white miso paste
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons grated gingerroot
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 teaspoon red chili flakes optional
For a quick alternative to soaking cashews overnight, bring a medium pot of water to the boil. Remove from heat, place cashews in water, cover, and soak for 30 to 40 minutes.
Drain cashews and place with fresh water in bowl of food processor or high-speed blender; blend until smooth. Add remaining ingredients and blend until combined.
- 2 cups frozen blueberries
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Pinch of salt
In saucepan, combine blueberries, vinegar, water, and maple syrup and bring to boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes on medium-high heat. Remove pan from heat, season with pepper and salt, and set pan aside to cool for 10 minutes.
In blender or food processor, blend mixture and then pass through a sieve. (Collect solids from the sieve and spread them on toast). Place sauce in jar and keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. It’s equally delicious served cold or gently warmed.
By Helena McMurdo
Article Courtesy of Alive Magazine