this is a favourite from ina garten, the barefoot contessa. i started making this way back in 2000 and found the sauce very versatile. it makes a generous quantity which i keep in the fridge for cold cuts and as a salad and vegetable dressing.
converted for the thermomix from the barefoot contessa cookbook
6 garlic cloves,
60 grams fresh ginger, peeled
70 grams extra virgin olive oil
100 grams sesame paste (from asian grocery stores)
100 grams smooth peanut butter
100 soy sauce
60 grams dry sherry
60 grams sherry vinegar
60 grams honey
1/2 teaspoon hot chili oil
2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
500 grams spaghetti
1 red capsicum, julienned
1 yellow capsicum, julienned
4 spring onions, sliced diagonally
place the garlic and ginger in the thermomix bowl and chop on speed 9 for 10 seconds. add the vegetable oil, sesame paste, peanut butter, soy sauce, sherry, sherry vinegar, honey, chili oil, sesame oil, and ground peppers. mix for 20 seconds on speed 4.
cook the spaghetti al dente in boiling salted water. drain the pasta and place in a large bowl. whilst still warm, toss with some of the sauce. add the red and yellow capsicums and spring onions; toss well. serve warm or at room temperature. the remaining sauce may be added, as needed, to moisten the pasta.
keep any leftover sauce in the fridge for later use.
Showing posts with label sauce. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sauce. Show all posts
Friday, August 6, 2010
Sunday, August 2, 2009
mayonnaise
i like making mayonnaise with my bamix - it is so easy, it's almost instant.
get hold of a 2 cup capacity container. i have been known to make mayonnaise in peanut butter jars - it's convenient - after the mayonnaise is made, you don't have to tip it into another jar or container, you just put the peanut butter jar lid on, and it's covered. one less thing to wash and isn't that the way to go? so environmentally friendly.
pop 2 egg yolks or a whole egg into the jar and blitz until the egg is nice and frothy.
keeping the motor running, start drizzling your favourite oil into the jar (your favourite oil might be olive, canola, rice bran...although i do find using all extra virgin olive oil very strong - i just use a combination sometimes). keep drizzling until the mayonnaise becomes nice and thick and luscious.....that egg will absorb about a cup of oil, so be prepared. i admit the first time i made mayonnaise, i found it really difficult to keep adding oil, but believe me, you have to do it...you have to go all the way, otherwise what you've started will be wasted.....if you can't handle it, don't start at all....
once your mayonnaise is how i've described it (nice and thick and luscious), you can stop adding oil. you can now drizzle in a tablespoon or 2 of lemon juice or tarragon vinegar.
season with a little salt, if you like.
if you want to make aioli, put a peeled clove of garlic into the jar when you're blitzing the egg and continue from there.
my personal favourite is mayonnaise with some sundried tomato in it. i just chop some up and fold it through the mayonnaise. i don't bother with either the lemon juice or vinegar in this case.
get hold of a 2 cup capacity container. i have been known to make mayonnaise in peanut butter jars - it's convenient - after the mayonnaise is made, you don't have to tip it into another jar or container, you just put the peanut butter jar lid on, and it's covered. one less thing to wash and isn't that the way to go? so environmentally friendly.
pop 2 egg yolks or a whole egg into the jar and blitz until the egg is nice and frothy.
keeping the motor running, start drizzling your favourite oil into the jar (your favourite oil might be olive, canola, rice bran...although i do find using all extra virgin olive oil very strong - i just use a combination sometimes). keep drizzling until the mayonnaise becomes nice and thick and luscious.....that egg will absorb about a cup of oil, so be prepared. i admit the first time i made mayonnaise, i found it really difficult to keep adding oil, but believe me, you have to do it...you have to go all the way, otherwise what you've started will be wasted.....if you can't handle it, don't start at all....
once your mayonnaise is how i've described it (nice and thick and luscious), you can stop adding oil. you can now drizzle in a tablespoon or 2 of lemon juice or tarragon vinegar.
season with a little salt, if you like.
if you want to make aioli, put a peeled clove of garlic into the jar when you're blitzing the egg and continue from there.
my personal favourite is mayonnaise with some sundried tomato in it. i just chop some up and fold it through the mayonnaise. i don't bother with either the lemon juice or vinegar in this case.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
my dad's version of satay
having given you a version of pretend satay sauce yesterday, i thought i'd give you a version of pretend satay today.
my dad never cooked much. this isn't to say he didn't know how, but he just never did. this was something he concocted when he did. for me, this is comfort food because it has memories of my dad with it. i love my dad.
a splash of oil
1 onion, cut into eight wedges
a piece of skirt steak, sliced across the grain, sprinkled with a little salt
1 or 2 tomatoes cut into wedges
pineapple pieces
some satay sauce, according to your liking
heat the oil in a frypan over high heat.
throw in the onions and give them a good toss around every so often. you want them to have a little colour here and there. set aside.
put in another splash of oil in the frypan, again over high heat. pop in the slices of meat to cover the pan evenly and allow to colour on one side for about a minute. flip it over and brown the other side. set aside. the meat should be golden outside, but undercooked.
in the same frypan, again over high heat, return the onions and add the tomatoes, pineapple and satay sauce. once fully heated and boiling (and no doubt splattering, so have a lid handy), add the meat, give it a good stir and remove from the heat and serve with plain rice and vegetables.
my dad never cooked much. this isn't to say he didn't know how, but he just never did. this was something he concocted when he did. for me, this is comfort food because it has memories of my dad with it. i love my dad.
a splash of oil
1 onion, cut into eight wedges
a piece of skirt steak, sliced across the grain, sprinkled with a little salt
1 or 2 tomatoes cut into wedges
pineapple pieces
some satay sauce, according to your liking
heat the oil in a frypan over high heat.
throw in the onions and give them a good toss around every so often. you want them to have a little colour here and there. set aside.
put in another splash of oil in the frypan, again over high heat. pop in the slices of meat to cover the pan evenly and allow to colour on one side for about a minute. flip it over and brown the other side. set aside. the meat should be golden outside, but undercooked.
in the same frypan, again over high heat, return the onions and add the tomatoes, pineapple and satay sauce. once fully heated and boiling (and no doubt splattering, so have a lid handy), add the meat, give it a good stir and remove from the heat and serve with plain rice and vegetables.
Friday, March 20, 2009
satay sauce - the non authentic version
this is not the real thing and i am not going to try and pass it off as such. it's just a spicy, peanutty sauce i like to have with the thai meatballs, cold roast meat, eggs, salad, as a dip....whatever.....i'm sure you'll find your own niche for it too.
1/4 cup oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove, crushed
1 red chilli, chopped, with or without seeds - your choice
3 tablespoons curry powder
3/4 cup super crunchy peanut butter
440 gram tin crushed pineapple
heat the oil in a medium saucepan and soften the onions.
add the garlic and chilli; be careful not to brown the garlic - you just want it to perfume (yes, that's right, i said perfume) the oil.
add the curry powder and do not let it catch - you just want to let it lose any rawness it may have.
add the peanut butter, followed by the crushed pineapple.
give it a good stir and thin it to the consistency of your liking with the juice from the crushed pineapples. if you poured the whole tin, that's okay - that's what i do - the sauce will be saucier, but still quite thick - peanut butter has that effect - it's thick.
now serve it the way YOU want to.
1/4 cup oil
1 onion, finely diced
1 clove, crushed
1 red chilli, chopped, with or without seeds - your choice
3 tablespoons curry powder
3/4 cup super crunchy peanut butter
440 gram tin crushed pineapple
heat the oil in a medium saucepan and soften the onions.
add the garlic and chilli; be careful not to brown the garlic - you just want it to perfume (yes, that's right, i said perfume) the oil.
add the curry powder and do not let it catch - you just want to let it lose any rawness it may have.
add the peanut butter, followed by the crushed pineapple.
give it a good stir and thin it to the consistency of your liking with the juice from the crushed pineapples. if you poured the whole tin, that's okay - that's what i do - the sauce will be saucier, but still quite thick - peanut butter has that effect - it's thick.
now serve it the way YOU want to.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
thai dipping sauce
this is yummy. it has those elements which make thai food popular - it's sweet, sour, salty, spicy - it possesses the four Ss and it's tasty. let me get on with it before i get myself into a pavlov's dog situation.
1/2 cup lime
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon finely ground lemon grass (grind it in a mortar and pestle; ignore any recipe which tells you finely chop lemon grass, nobody worth their salt in thailand finely chops lemon grass, they use a mortar and pestle)
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 clove crushed garlic
1 chopped red chilli
combine well. taste and adjust to your liking.
i was very tempted to just give a list of ingredients for this sauce because you really want to get it to taste the way you like it.
1/2 cup lime
2 tablespoons oil
1 tablespoon finely ground lemon grass (grind it in a mortar and pestle; ignore any recipe which tells you finely chop lemon grass, nobody worth their salt in thailand finely chops lemon grass, they use a mortar and pestle)
2 tablespoons chopped coriander
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon sugar
1 clove crushed garlic
1 chopped red chilli
combine well. taste and adjust to your liking.
i was very tempted to just give a list of ingredients for this sauce because you really want to get it to taste the way you like it.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
sweet and sour sauce
yesterday, i my post was about making wontons...and there were no specific quantities given, but now i give specific quantities for sweet and sour sauce. i know people who eyeball this, but i like my sweet and sour sauce consistent.
i love deep fried wontons with this. i really do.....
1/3 cup vinegar (i use apple cider vinegar)
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
2 tablespoons cornflour/1 tablespoon wheaten cornflour
2 tablespoons water
place the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper and tomato sauce in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
meanwhile, dissolve the cornflour in the water and pour into the boiling vinegar, whisking the whole time. once the sauce has come to the boil, it is ready to serve with the deep fried wontons....or whatever you like.
if you want the sweet and sour sauce they have with pork, just add some stir fried capsicum, onion, carrots and pineapple to the sauce. if you decide to do this, don't waste the syrup from the pineapple (if you're using canned pineapple) and use it to replace the water whilst making the sauce.
i love deep fried wontons with this. i really do.....
1/3 cup vinegar (i use apple cider vinegar)
1 cup water
3/4 cup sugar
pinch of salt
pinch of pepper
3 tablespoons tomato sauce
2 tablespoons cornflour/1 tablespoon wheaten cornflour
2 tablespoons water
place the vinegar, water, sugar, salt and pepper and tomato sauce in a medium saucepan and bring to the boil.
meanwhile, dissolve the cornflour in the water and pour into the boiling vinegar, whisking the whole time. once the sauce has come to the boil, it is ready to serve with the deep fried wontons....or whatever you like.
if you want the sweet and sour sauce they have with pork, just add some stir fried capsicum, onion, carrots and pineapple to the sauce. if you decide to do this, don't waste the syrup from the pineapple (if you're using canned pineapple) and use it to replace the water whilst making the sauce.
Monday, February 23, 2009
my current meat sauce for pasta
i daren't call this bolognese because i'm sure it isn't authentic. however, this is one meat sauce for pasta that i have been very happy with, so i thought i should put it down lest i forget.
1/2 cup olive oil
2 onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
oregano, parsley
500 grams minced beef
500 grams italian sausage, casings removed
2 glasses wine, plus more to rinse out the passata jar
1 large jar passata
zucchini, capsicum, mushroom...whatever takes your fancy
freshly cooked pasta
fresh basil
heat the oil in a large stockpot. i like to use a large stockpot because it makes everything nice and easy to stir; this sauce will not fill the pot in any way.
add the onions and garlic and stir around to coat with oil and allow to soften. add the oregano and parsley, if using. add the mince and italian sausage and stir to break up the meat. stir in the wine and allow to bubble away for about 15 minutes to half an hour.
add the passata, rinse out the jar with more wine (you don't want to waste any passata...heh heh), stir and allow to bubble away. at this stage i also add the vegetables and allow to bubble away for as long as possible (up to 2 hours). remember to stir the pot every now and then to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom. if for some reason the sauce does catch (forget to stir, flame too high), quickly tip the sauce into another saucepan so the burnt flavour doesn't contaminate the whole batch of sauce. you'll get away with a little smokiness in the sauce...in fact, some people will think it make the sauce even more delicious because it adds another dimension.
at this stage, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. seasoning with pepper and nutmeg earlier is fine, but because there's so much bubbling and evaporation going on, it's much safer to salt at the end. very often i don't add salt because the passata and sausage are already plenty salty, as is the pasta, which should be cooked in well salted water.
that's about it. serve it with al dente pasta (please don't overcook the pasta if at all possible) and fresh basil.
buon appetito!
1/2 cup olive oil
2 onions, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
oregano, parsley
500 grams minced beef
500 grams italian sausage, casings removed
2 glasses wine, plus more to rinse out the passata jar
1 large jar passata
zucchini, capsicum, mushroom...whatever takes your fancy
freshly cooked pasta
fresh basil
heat the oil in a large stockpot. i like to use a large stockpot because it makes everything nice and easy to stir; this sauce will not fill the pot in any way.
add the onions and garlic and stir around to coat with oil and allow to soften. add the oregano and parsley, if using. add the mince and italian sausage and stir to break up the meat. stir in the wine and allow to bubble away for about 15 minutes to half an hour.
add the passata, rinse out the jar with more wine (you don't want to waste any passata...heh heh), stir and allow to bubble away. at this stage i also add the vegetables and allow to bubble away for as long as possible (up to 2 hours). remember to stir the pot every now and then to make sure it doesn't catch on the bottom. if for some reason the sauce does catch (forget to stir, flame too high), quickly tip the sauce into another saucepan so the burnt flavour doesn't contaminate the whole batch of sauce. you'll get away with a little smokiness in the sauce...in fact, some people will think it make the sauce even more delicious because it adds another dimension.
at this stage, season with salt, pepper and nutmeg. seasoning with pepper and nutmeg earlier is fine, but because there's so much bubbling and evaporation going on, it's much safer to salt at the end. very often i don't add salt because the passata and sausage are already plenty salty, as is the pasta, which should be cooked in well salted water.
that's about it. serve it with al dente pasta (please don't overcook the pasta if at all possible) and fresh basil.
buon appetito!
Monday, February 16, 2009
béchamel sauce
béchamel sauce is the posh name for good old white sauce. it's very useful and has many applications. lasagne, moussaka, mornays and croque monsieur include it in their composition....then, it also lends itself as a base for other sauces. one friend, doctor stewart, loves white sauce and its versatility, advised that i could change white sauce to pink sauce very simply by adding some tomato sauce. i haven't tried that yet, but, hey, there's got to be a first.
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup plain flour
3 cups milk
a litlle freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground white pepper
in a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until blended but not coloured. gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking the whole time, until thickened, about 10 minutes. season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
that's it. very simple, but i can't emphasise enough that you have to whisk the whole time, that way, the sauce is silky smooth without any lumps. one friend swears by using the flat whisk; me? the balloon whisk is my thing. either way, just keep stirring with the whiskand make sure you get into the corners of the pot so everything mixes in.
Set aside. (May be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and stored, refrigerated, with a layer of plastic wrap placed directly on surface of sauce; gently reheat before serving.)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup plain flour
3 cups milk
a litlle freshly grated nutmeg
salt and freshly ground white pepper
in a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until blended but not coloured. gradually whisk in the milk and cook, whisking the whole time, until thickened, about 10 minutes. season to taste with nutmeg, salt and pepper.
that's it. very simple, but i can't emphasise enough that you have to whisk the whole time, that way, the sauce is silky smooth without any lumps. one friend swears by using the flat whisk; me? the balloon whisk is my thing. either way, just keep stirring with the whiskand make sure you get into the corners of the pot so everything mixes in.
Set aside. (May be made up to 24 hours ahead of time and stored, refrigerated, with a layer of plastic wrap placed directly on surface of sauce; gently reheat before serving.)
Saturday, November 1, 2008
and now for dessert - something smooth and crunchy and hot and cold...all at the same time...
got your attention?
that's how i like to introduce this dessert and all it is is glorified ice cream. not fried ice cream, although now that i think about it, it is hot and cold etc, but i like to think my version might be a bit more sophisticated. yeah...that's right...me and sophisticated go hand in hand.....okay...you can stop laughing....NOW.....
sophisticated or not, i like this dessert and whether you do or don't doesn't matter - just take your cursor to the little "x" at the top right hand corner of this window and click....
remember the brandy snaps? well, make a couple in the shape of baskets.
remember the hot chocolate fudge sauce? well, make some of that.
rememeber sara lee or connoisseur ice cream? well, go get some.
put a couple of scoops of your favourite connoisseur or sara lee ice cream in a brandy snap basket, top with a healthy dollop of hot chocolate fudge sauce and if you really want to be tres sophisticatated, garnish with berries.
there you go - smooth (ice cream) and crunchy (brandy snap basket) and hot (hot chocolate fudge sauce) and cold (berries...okay, okay.....ice cream).
everyone i've served this to has loved it (or loved me so much they pretended to like it so as not hurt my feelings.....). i hope you love it too (you don't have to pretend anything though).
that's how i like to introduce this dessert and all it is is glorified ice cream. not fried ice cream, although now that i think about it, it is hot and cold etc, but i like to think my version might be a bit more sophisticated. yeah...that's right...me and sophisticated go hand in hand.....okay...you can stop laughing....NOW.....
sophisticated or not, i like this dessert and whether you do or don't doesn't matter - just take your cursor to the little "x" at the top right hand corner of this window and click....
remember the brandy snaps? well, make a couple in the shape of baskets.
remember the hot chocolate fudge sauce? well, make some of that.
rememeber sara lee or connoisseur ice cream? well, go get some.
put a couple of scoops of your favourite connoisseur or sara lee ice cream in a brandy snap basket, top with a healthy dollop of hot chocolate fudge sauce and if you really want to be tres sophisticatated, garnish with berries.
there you go - smooth (ice cream) and crunchy (brandy snap basket) and hot (hot chocolate fudge sauce) and cold (berries...okay, okay.....ice cream).
everyone i've served this to has loved it (or loved me so much they pretended to like it so as not hurt my feelings.....). i hope you love it too (you don't have to pretend anything though).
Thursday, October 30, 2008
hot chocolate fudge sauce
this is something for true chocolate die hards. also, very simple, and microwavable, if a stovetop isn't available or too much trouble. try it on ice cream, as if u needed to be told.
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 milk
125 grams dark chcoclate
125 grams butter
4-6 marshmallows
place everything in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth, adding sugar to taste. serve immediately once sauce boils.
1/2 cup cocoa
1/2 milk
125 grams dark chcoclate
125 grams butter
4-6 marshmallows
place everything in a saucepan over low heat and stir until smooth, adding sugar to taste. serve immediately once sauce boils.
Monday, October 20, 2008
my favourite tomato sauce for pasta
this is a really basic tomato sauce, but it's very good because of its simplicity. i learnt how to make this watching mary, julia's mum, make this whenever i was lucky enough to be invited over their house. i remember cooking this for julia when we were in paris; i was thrilled when she said it was just like her mother's!
i think the main difference between this tomato sauce and the other italian tomato sauces i've tried is that there is no onion in this sauce. i'm not sure whether it is because julia's mother is from northern italy with a yugoslavic background that there isn't any onion, but whatever the reason, this sauce is simply perfect - to me. there is also the addition of chilli. this is added for warmth, not burning spiciness, unless burning spiciness is what you are looking for.
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 chilli, fresh or dried, seeded if only warmth is desired
1 can italian peeled tomatoes, crushed
salt
basil
gently heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan. add the garlic and chilli. allow the garlic and chilli to bathe in the warm oil and impart their essence. on no account allow the garlic to burn.
add the canned tomatoes carefully so as not to let the slash into the hot oil. allow to simmer until thickened. taste with a clean spoon and salt to taste. remember that this is a sauce and the saltiness will be diluted when the pasta is added, so ensure the sauce is salted adequately.
just before serving, tear basil leaves into the sauce and pour over the pasta.
i think the main difference between this tomato sauce and the other italian tomato sauces i've tried is that there is no onion in this sauce. i'm not sure whether it is because julia's mother is from northern italy with a yugoslavic background that there isn't any onion, but whatever the reason, this sauce is simply perfect - to me. there is also the addition of chilli. this is added for warmth, not burning spiciness, unless burning spiciness is what you are looking for.
1/4 to 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 chilli, fresh or dried, seeded if only warmth is desired
1 can italian peeled tomatoes, crushed
salt
basil
gently heat the olive oil in a heavy saucepan. add the garlic and chilli. allow the garlic and chilli to bathe in the warm oil and impart their essence. on no account allow the garlic to burn.
add the canned tomatoes carefully so as not to let the slash into the hot oil. allow to simmer until thickened. taste with a clean spoon and salt to taste. remember that this is a sauce and the saltiness will be diluted when the pasta is added, so ensure the sauce is salted adequately.
just before serving, tear basil leaves into the sauce and pour over the pasta.
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