Homemade Sauces & Dips Recipes | The Frayed Apron

Jalapeno Hot Sauce

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Sun, 03 Dec 2023 23:31:05 +0000

This is a small batch jalapeno hot sauce recipe that involves aging your own peppers with vinegar and salt. If you’re looking for something spicy, this has a nice kick and is fully loaded with fresh jalapeno flavor.

This hot sauce is actually a lactofermented hot sauce, meaning it contains beneficial bacteria that make it tangy. If you didn’t already know, most commercial hot sauces are aged this way, and that’s why you can’t just blend peppers with vinegar and eat it right away.

You need the element of time and lactic acid producing bacteria to develop those complex flavors.

Check out how the color changes (before and after) when you age this hot sauce for just 1 week:

Freshly pureed jalapenos are bright green and firm

Fermented jalapeno peppers are greenish yellow and mushy

How to Make Jalapeno Hot Sauce (Two Ways)

If you own a food processor (or bullet blender), you can quickly puree the jalapenos (see picture below).

However, if you’d rather not use any equipment, you could mince the jalapenos, too. The fermentation process helps break the pieces down, so it’s ok to start with chunky pieces.

If you can, try to ferment the jalapeno hot sauce in a jar. You can secure a clean shirt or cheesecloth over the rim to allow air flow but to keep any critters out.

You will stop the ferment when you like the taste. I recommend storing at room temperature in a warm place out of the light for up to 7 days before you taste test. You can let the fermentation process continue for up to 7 more days, if you’d like something tangier.

This hot sauce tastes great with homemade tortilla chips or nachos, but it’s also incredibly good with crispy potato smashers. Whenever I have lots of jalapenos, I make a huge batch and tend to go through a bottle every 3 days or so. My family loves it!

More Spicy Recipes For You:

Jalapeno Hot Sauce

This homemade jalapeno hot sauce is spicy and tangy after a short 7 to 10 day fermentation process. I recommend aging and storing in a sterile glass jar.

Course Sauce

Cuisine American

Keyword jalapeno

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings jar

Calories 23kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

5 large jalapenos
1 tablespoon kosher salt or sea salt
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Instructions

Remove the stems from the jalapenos and roughly chop. Place in a blender or food processor along with ½ cup filtered water, salt and apple cider vinegar and puree until mostly smooth.
Transfer to a clean container and cover with a clean cloth secured with a rubber band. Place in a warm, dark area for between 7 and 10 days or until you like the taste (it should be pleasantly tangy when fermented). When you like the taste, transfer the hot sauce to the refrigerator to halt the fermentation process. Refrigerated hot sauce has a long shelf life of 1 month or longer.

Nutrition

Photography by Adam Rahman

How to Make Chamoy

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 22:42:40 +0000

If there’s one condiment that triggers mania here in Arizona, it’s chamoy. We pour it over mango, snow cones (aka chamoyada), and lace our cocktails with it. With 25 cents in hand, I’d chase down the ice cream truck as a kid to buy a mini bottle of this stuff. I’d suck that bottle dry by dinner time and have the red stained tongue to prove it.

If you’re searching for chamoy, it can mean only one thing. You’re probably hooked for life, which means you need your spicy candy sauce fix pronto. No matter where you are in the world, you can make authentic chamoy in 5 minutes with a few simple ingredients.

With your homemade chamoy, I’m sure you’ll be making your own swirly chile popsicles or refreshing mangonadas all summer long!

What’s in chamoy?

Chamoy is made up of:

chile
salt
sugar
citric acid

Sometimes it contains fruit and is like a cross between a hot sauce and candy.

Why This Recipe Works

Chamoy must be equally salty and sour, then spicy, and a little sweet. It should hit your tongue and instantly make you want some more. To get the signature flavor profile, this recipe is made of ancho chili peppers, lime juice, apricot jam, salt, sugar, and water. That’s it.

It comes together quickly in a blender. It’s easy and there’s no artificial ingredients or preservatives.

FAQ

How long does chamoy candy last?

You can dip candy in chamoy and dry on low heat in the oven. If completely dry (no humidity), chamoy candy will last for months. If you’re lucky enough to own a freeze dryer, freeze dried chamoy candy will last for years!

What do you do with chamoy?

There are many variations when it comes to chamoy. Taste it by itself so you can adjustment the profile to your preferences (e.g. extra lime juice or salt). A popular street food is chamoy sauce with fresh mango, lime or Tajin – a salty, spicy Mexican seasoning. If you want the ultimate chamoy experience, check out these mangonada smoothies, where chamoy is used to coat the inside of a glass or make mango chamoy fruit roll ups (a total blast of flavor).

Which pepper is best for chamoy?

I recommend dried ancho chile peppers that have a reddish hue. However, if you are sensitive to spicy food, try using the milder New Mexico dried chile peppers instead. Both of these peppers have a pleasant fruity flavor.

I’m curious to know — where did you first try chamoy? I was introduced to it by a neighbor kid when I was 8. While it’s readily available in Arizona, I’ve seen it as far north as New York City. For those of you in-the-know, I think you’ll find this is the chamoy recipe you’ve been looking for.

More Chile Recipes For You:

Chamoy

Chamoy is a popular Mexican condiment equal parts hot sauce and candy made from chili peppers, citric acid, sugar, and salt. It's fantastic on fresh mango with a little pinch of Tajin seasoning, but you could also use it to make mangonada popsicles, smoothies, or snow cones.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword chamoy, chamoyada, chili, gluten free, hot sauce, mangonada, Mexican, sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 0

Total Time 5

Servings cups

Calories 213kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

3/4 cup water
3 dried ancho chili peppers
1 cup apricot jam 10 oz jar
1/2 cup lime juice from 4-5 large limes
3 tbsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Add the water to the blender. Wipe the chili peppers to remove any dust. Pull off the stem and shake out the seeds. Place the whole pepper in the blender along with the apricot jam, lime juice, sugar, and salt.
Blend on high speed until extremely smooth. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. Use chamoy with fresh mangos for a fun snack.

Video

Notes

Selecting the Best Ancho Chile (Chili) Peppers

You can identify the best ancho chiles by the color. Look for red tones in the dried peppers because that is a signal for a fresher, more flavorful ancho.

Selecting the Best Apricot Jam

Read the ingredients on the jar of apricot jam. I like Crofter’s organic apricot jam (red label or blue are both 8 grams of sugar and work interchangeably) because the flavor of the apricot is pure and there’s no artificial ingredients or preservatives. Plus, it comes in a 10 oz jar, so you can just use the whole jar in this recipe.

Possible Variations

I really like this recipe because it tastes authentic, but you may consider adding a bit of citric acid powder (start with 1/4 teaspoon). Another idea to get that extra tangy oomph would be to add extra lime juice or a teaspoon of tamarind paste (just concentrated tangy tamarind) or any brand tamarind candy (tamarind and chile with sugar added). Just start by adding a little bit at a time (a small pinch or teaspoon), then add more to get it just right.

Nutrition

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Creamy Fresh Horseradish Sauce

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Sun, 16 Apr 2023 22:11:21 +0000

Ladies and gents, this creamy horseradish sauce will be your secret weapon. Just a smidge of this can brighten up a piece of salmon or steak and the flavor wildly compliments a prime rib roast.

It only takes 5 minutes to make and delivers so much punch, you might want to keep a stash of it around permanently.

Perhaps what makes this particular horseradish sauce so versatile is that it’s well-balanced and won’t compete with the food. It simply adds an aire of rich, tangy, and spicy splendor. It’s just as sensational slathered on a humble baked potato or an expensive prime rib roast.

What is Horseradish Sauce?

Horseradish sauce is simply any combination of emulsified ingredients, including fresh or jarred horseradish. Here: sour cream and mayonnaise form the creamy base layer and freshly grated horseradish root gets stirred in.

Ingredients:

Sour cream: this adds a cooling, tangy, creamy effect
Horseradish: the amounts given in this recipe are for freshly grated horseradish, not jarred
Mayonnaise: since mayonnaise is already emulsified oil and eggs, it makes this sauce convenient and foolproof
Apple cider vinegar: helps balance the potent flavor of the horseradish
Chives: adds a little sparkle of fresh flavor
Salt and Pepper: makes the flavors pop, be sure to make adjustments to taste

How to Use Fresh Horseradish

If you’re not familiar, horseradish is a gnarly looking root vegetable with a pungent aroma and spicy flavor profile. It’s typically preserved in vinegar, which mellows it out considerably. People tend to add it to dishes because it can be very palate-cleansing and because it clears the sinuses and seriously enhance the flavor of food.

How spicy is horseradish? I’d liken it to spicy mustard or wasabi.

Scared? Don’t be.

If you are sensitive to spicy tastes, simply reduce the amount of horseradish, and if you like a nostril-flaring level of oomph, simply increase the amount, accordingly.

How do you tame an overly spicy horseradish sauce?

Since the level of heat can vary from mild to intense, depending on when the horseradish is consumed, you can drastically decrease the heat level by adding extra vinegar, fat, or simply allowing the sauce to chill out for a couple of days in the refrigerator.

Ingredient Tip: Horseradish can be found in the produce section and contains a tough, brown, fibrous exterior that should be peeled away. The inside is white and can be grated using a microplane and added directly to vinaigrettes or sauces.

Storage Options

To make the most of that giant root of horseradish, you can simply plan ahead and triple the recipe. It’s totally worth having extra sauce on hand so here’s what to do with it:

To refrigerate: Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. It may thicken or separate slightly–a quick fix is to just give it a good stir.

To freeze: Transfer to a sealed jar and freeze for up to 1 month. Defrost in the refrigerator and stir. Note that freezing will reduce the pungent heat level.

Needless to say, this creamy horseradish sauce deserves a spot on your everyday table as well as your Christmas dinner menu. It’s a classic partner to prime rib roast and an instant classic with this Garlic Cauliflower Mash.

If you make it, tell me what you think. Simple, yet complex?

CREAMY HORSERADISH SAUCE

A creamy sauce with a nice bite from freshly grated horseradish is the perfect way to cleanse the palate and leave a fresh taste between each bite. Is it any wonder it's often paired with the most expensive cuts of meat: prime rib, anyone?

Course Sauce

Cuisine American

Keyword horseradish

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings people

Calories 82kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

1 cup sour cream
1 2- inch piece fresh horseradish*
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon chives minced
Kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients. Serve right away or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

Nutrition

Bucatini with Butter Anchovy Tomato Sauce

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Thu, 16 Sep 2021 19:28:27 +0000

If you have a glut of ripe tomatoes, it’s worth the effort to make my roasted Roma tomato sauce. For the rest of the year, this simpler tomato sauce recipe, featuring canned, peeled tomatoes, is every bit as flavorful and impressive thanks to:

butter
anchovies
plenty of garlic
and a time-saving method: simmering in the Dutch oven, as opposed to oven-roasting, which melds everything together into one lush, rustic sauce in just 30-minutes

I find most jarred pasta sauce to be overly sweet. Not so with this. It’s tangy with true tomato flavor–a winning combination. This is a great all-purpose red sauce that I’ve paired with Bucatini though I’ve also tried it with thick spaghetti noodles.

And I haven’t yet tried this, but I’d love to work in a white beer with some clams and serve with a side of crostini. Any votes?

And how about those anchovies?

Years ago, when I was working in a restaurant kitchen, I realized something about the way chefs sub anchovies for salt. Because, those little fish are little umami bombs that, when worked into a dish in the beginning, yield powerful results. Nothing fishy. Think more savory goodness.

Honestly, anchovy-haters will love this sauce. And anchovy fans? You’ll want to work in a couple extra fillets.

As always, I hope you find this super simple pasta as satisfying and worthy of your dinner table as I.

PS: Another favorite Dutch oven sauce: Dutch Oven Meatballs.

PPS: Another favorite pesto sauce that can be made with walnuts or pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Ingredient FAQs

Can I leave out the anchovy fillets?

While this sauce would still be amazing without them, I recommend trying it at least once.

Where can I find anchovy fillets?

You can find anchovy fillets packed in oil in a tin can in the grocery store next to the canned tomatoes or order the jarred kind online because they have an incredibly long shelf life and can be used for many months stored in the refrigerator.

Where can I find Bucatini?

It’s sold next to the spaghetti but is becoming harder to find. You can substitute any toothsome pasta noodle, such as penne.

Here’s the play by play: Gather your ingredients:

Decide if you want a rustic, chunky sauce or a smooth sauce. For the former, mince the garlic cloves (you won’t be blending). For the latter, smash the cloves or mince (you’ll be using an immersion blender).

Grab an enameled Dutch oven and set the heat to medium. Add the entire can of tomatoes, the red pepper flakes, butter (salted or unsalted are fine), and at least 2 anchovy fillets.

Bring to a simmer, adjusting the heat to prevent sputtering. Meanwhile, bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta.

When the water comes to a full boil, add a pinch of salt and the Bucatini (hollow spaghetti-like noodle) and cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente.

Use a wood spoon to crush all of the tomatoes. This will be easy to do after about 20 minutes of cooking.

Continue cooking until you reach a thick consistency. Taste your sauce and adjust for salt, sweetness, fat, or heat using the red pepper flakes, black pepper, butter, or sugar to your liking.

Serve as-is or blend until smooth using an immersion blender.

To test your noodles, break them open and look inside. If chalky, continue cooking.

Strain the bucatini (no need to rinse the pasta).

Fold the noodles into the sauce and serve directly out of the Dutch oven.

Top with shaved parmesan. Crack more pepper over each dish, if you wish.

Bucatini with Garlic Anchovy Tomato Sauce

Here's a super simple, super flavorful homemade pasta sauce that can be prepared all year using pantry staples: canned whole, peeled roma tomatoes, anchovies, and your favorite pasta noodles. It's a classic combination, and it couldn't be more delicious!

Work in this order for a 30-minute meal: sauce, boil water, pasta, serve.

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Keyword pasta, tomato sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 30

Total Time 35

Servings people

Calories 429kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter
1 28-ounce can whole peeled Roma tomatoes (San Marzano)
2 fillets anchovies packed in oil
8 garlic cloves minced (about 8 teaspoons)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
12 ounces Bucatini or spaghetti noodles
Parmesan cheese for serving

Instructions

Make the sauce. In a medium Dutch oven, combine the butter, canned tomatoes (juice included), anchovy fillets, minced garlic, red pepper flakes, and a pinch of salt. Bring to a low simmer (lid off) and stir occasionally, adjusting the heat as needed to prevent sputtering. Simmer until you can easily crush each tomato with a wooden spoon and the sauce thickens, about 30 minutes.
Cook the noodles. While the sauce simmers, bring a large pot of water to boil. Add a large pinch of salt and add the Bucatini. Cook, stirring occasionally, until al dente. Strain.
Taste and serve. Taste the sauce and balance the acidity, if desired, with butter or sugar. For a rustic presentation, simply fold the noodles into the chunky sauce or use an immersion blender first. Serve with freshly grated parmesan and cracked black pepper.

Notes

Make Ahead: You can make and store the sauce inside the Dutch oven in the refrigerator with the lid on up to 3 days in advance. Be sure to avoid un-enameled cast iron with this acidic recipe.

Garlic: If using an immersion blender, feel free to crush the garlic instead of mincing. The results will be the same.

Recipe adapted from Bon Appetit’s Butter Roasted Tomato Sauce.

Nutrition

Photography Credit: Megan Johnson

Beet Walnut Dip with Yogurt

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 16:39:58 +0000

It’s January, and beets are in season, so I thought, why not share something flavorful and fresh? This beet dip is such a welcome departure from all the cooked meals.

As much as I love a warm bowl of beet borcht or goulash in winter, it’s refreshing to snack on something cold in between. Actually, my favorite way to enjoy this beet dip is over toasted artisan bread topped with a dollop of plain yogurt, a scrambled egg, and crumbled feta. It’s fresh, tangy, and briny. So simple, so good.

A month ago, I ordered a beet and egg tartine for breakfast from Wildflower Bread Company, which remined me of this raw beet dip recipe from Alexandra’s Kitchen, but whereas Wildflower serves their beet tartine with hummus, Alexandra serves hers as a dip over Greek yogurt. Turns out, combining the two approaches is the way to go.

Which Yogurt To Use

Intrigued, I actually tested this recipe with two types of yogurt: a plain Greek yogurt with 5% milkfat and a living coconut yogurt called Cocoyo. Both amazing. Slightly preferred the coconut yogurt!

Another change I made was to use toasted walnuts instead of almonds and a homemade pomegranate molasses. Totally do-able, as you will soon see.

How to Make Pomegranate Molasses From Scratch

Pomegranate molasses is sold at specialty food stores (and online here), but it’s easy enough to make from scratch if you have pure pomegranate juice and a skillet. Pomegranate molasses is simply a reduction of the juice.

What’s a reduction?

It’s basically where you simmer down the juice until it’s thick, sticky, and super concentrated in flavor. Here’s how:

To get 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses, pour 1/2 cup pure pomegranate juice into a skillet (a pinch of sugar is optional, here)
Over medium-high heat, simmer the liquid until syrupy, about 5 minutes.

Flavor Note: Pomegranate molasses has a naturally sweet, tangy, bitter flavor. A little bit goes a long way.

About This Beet Dip

You will need either a food process or a blender to make this recipe because you are essentially creating a puree out of all the ingredients. Technically, you can leave the walnuts raw, but I think toasting adds even more savory flavor to compliment the sweetness of the beets.

Technique Tip: Toast nuts in the oven at a low temperature (not the stovetop) until aromatic and until they have a nice snap when broken in half. For walnuts, bake at 325F for about 12 minutes.

Once you’ve gathered all your ingredients, you will be combining everything in the food processor (except for the yogurt–which is for serving).

Serving Suggestions

Again, I just want to point out that this dip is fabulous. It stores beautifully for up to 7 days and can function as a dip for raw cucumber or spread for toast for a quick and healthy snack or breakfast. My favorite way to enjoy this is over toasted bread with scrambled egg, extra virgin olive oil, feta, and lemon zest.

Let me know how it turns out for ya! Oh, and there’s no need to peel the beets in this recipe!

Beet Walnut Dip with Yogurt

Toasted walnuts get processed into a thick puree with raw beets, lemon, and olive oil then served as a dip spread over plain yogurt. It's simple, fresh, and makes for a convenient snack or breakfast served with toast.

Course Breakfast, Snack

Cuisine American

Keyword beets, dairy free, dip, paleo, vegan, vegetarian

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 12

Total Time 32

Servings people

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

food processor

Ingredients

1 cup raw walnuts
1/2 cup pomegranate juice (or 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses)
1/2 pound beets (1 large or 2 small), ends trimmed, roughly chopped
1/4 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice plus zest for garnishing (see notes)
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or freshly ground black pepper)
1 garlic clove smashed
1 tsp sea salt plus more to taste
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil plus more for garnish
1 cup plain Greek yogurt or coconut yogurt for serving, see blog notes above
Artisan toast or sliced cucumbers for serving

Instructions

Toast the walnuts. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Spread the raw walnuts out on a sheet tray and toast for 12 minutes.
Make the puree. In a medium skillet, bring the pomegranate juice to a simmer over medium-high heat until syrupy, about 5 minutes. Transfer the pomegranate reduction/molasses to a food processor fitted with a metal blade, combine with the toasted walnuts, chopped beets, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, garlic, and salt. Puree on high until finely minced, then pour the olive oil (while the machine is running) to form a smooth puree. Note: you may need to stop in between to scrape the sides to get the mixture as smooth as possible.
Serve the puree over yogurt.
For a dip: Mix the yogurt with a pinch of salt then spoon a dollop onto a plate and top with a large dollop of beet puree. Using the back of a spoon, spread gently. Garnish with olive oil and lemon zest and serve with toast or sliced cucumber.
For a breakfast tartine (my favorite): Mix the yogurt with a pinch of salt and spread a thin layer onto toasted artisan bread. Spread a layer of the beet puree. Top with scrambled egg, lemon zest, olive oil, and feta cheese.
Storage: Beet dip stores well in the fridge for up to 7 days.

Video

Notes

Lemon: To garnish with lemon zest, I like to use a microplane. I think the lemon zest really makes a difference, and I just do this step after I’ve cut the lemon (of course, you can zest the lemon before you cut it, if you like).

Adapted from this Raw Beet Dip recipe based on this New York Times recipe.

Essential Lemon Garlic Sauce

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Tue, 12 Jan 2021 01:45:00 +0000

Everybody needs a universal sauce for drizzling over roasted vegetables, tossing with finely chopped kale, or marinating meat. This creamy sauce is such a workhorse in my kitchen, I thought it deserved to be moved to the front of the blog with a new video.

When people see and taste this pale yellow sauce, they often assume it contains dairy or that it’s complicated to make. That’s the simple science of an emulsion. It’s just garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and red pepper flakes whipped into submission.

Since I’ve been making this sauce for a decade, I often just make it to taste. Regardless of the exact number of garlic cloves you use, I’ve found that the absolute best way to prepare it is in the blender after you’ve really mashed or chopped the garlic. Otherwise, the garlic has a knack for avoiding the blender blades, and then you end up with a slightly less creamy sauce (and we can’t have that).

Just a quick note on blending, I use a bullet style blender for small quantity sauces, like this one. If you find that your liquid sits below the blades of your regular blender, you may want to finely mince or paste the garlic instead (watch how in this garlic knife skills tutorial) and then whisk.

What I love about this particular sauce is the balance of acidity, heat, and richness. It’s acidic enough to compliment chopped kale and delicate enough to finish fresh seafood (thank you lemon, I worship you). It’s especially tasty drizzled over roasted broccoli or as a marinade for roasted lamb ribs.

What’s an emulsion and how does it work?

An emulsion is where you force two ingredients to combine that normally don’t. Often, an emulsion is the unification of oil and water-based substances. Mayonnaise, hollandaise, and salad dressings are all emulsions of fat and acid. In this case, we use garlic and a blender to bind olive oil and lemon juice for a luxuriously creamy, smooth texture. It may look like it contains dairy, but that’s the power of an emulsion.

Making and Storing Salad Dressing

You can blend this sauce ahead and refrigerate for about 1 week. Separation is normal – just give it a good shake before using. If the olive oil solidifies in the fridge, you can run the container under warm water or let it sit on the counter for a bit to melt. Squeeze bottles are a convenient storage solution because you can easily drizzle and shake right out of the fridge.

Recipes that Use This Lemon Garlic Sauce

Tuscan Kale Salad with Grilled Chicken

Irresistible Lemon Roasted Lamb Ribs

Kale Salad with Pan-Seared Salmon

There’s so much potential for this sauce, and I can’t wait to see how you end up using it.

Essential Lemon Garlic Sauce

This sauce is so versatile and fresh, you will want to memorize it. It's 5 ingredients and comes together quickly in a blender. Serve with greens as a salad dressing or toss with pasta for a quick meal.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword dairy free, dressing, garlic, gluten free, lemon, marinade, paleo, sauce, vegan, vinaigrette

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 0

Total Time 5

Servings servings

Calories 112kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Equipment

blender

Ingredients

1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice from 1 1/2 large lemons or 4 small, depending on the juiciness
2 large cloves garlic smashed into a paste or roughly chopped
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (olive oil can become bitter when blended, use avocado oil if you want to avoid bitterness)

Instructions

Combine all the ingredients in a blender. Pulse on high for up to 1 minute until no garlic chunks remain and the dressing is very smooth and pale yellow. Use at room temperature or store in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Note: If you do not want to blend, you can whisk but you will have to smash the garlic into a paste for the very best texture.

Video

Nutrition

Some of the links on this page are affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you!

Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Mon, 28 Sep 2020 22:59:14 +0000

This 4-ingredient salted caramel sauce is foolproof, takes 10 minutes to make, and is irresistibly buttery.

Put it in your coffee, pour it over your apple pancakes, or lick it off a spoon. Just know that you will soon be having a blissful caramel moment.

Look, I know caramel can be intimidating. That’s exactly why I’m making it as approachable as possible with clear instructions and step-by-step photos.

Simply follow along (no candy thermometer required), and you’ll soon see what all the fuss is about. Nothing beats homemade warm and gooey salted caramel mmm-k?

The Dreaded Sugar Melting Phase

Everybody’s least favorite part: watching the sugar do unpredictable things. Let’s just skip the misleading time estimates, shall we? Sugar melts at drastically different rates, anywhere from 2 to 15 minutes, depending on moisture.

So, don’t feel bad if you don’t see anything happening. Simply wait patiently until you do. Every once in a while, peer into the pot, and look for a puddle of liquid sugar forming along the bottom.

Once you see areas where the sugar is melting, begin to stir with a heat proof spatula or wooden spoon until it goes from clumps to thick brown, amber-colored liquid.

The Bubbly Butter Phase

As soon as the sugar is completely melted, you’ve basically made caramel. Congratulations! The reason we add the butter and cream is to maintain a pour-able sauce consistency that won’t harden.

It’s important to use your eyes for this next part. Watch the color transform from clear to dark amber before adding the butter.

Technique Tip: The longer you cook the melted sugar, the more intense the caramel flavor. Just be sure to avoid burning.

When you like the color, it’s time to halt the caramelization process. Add the butter and stir vigorously to combine. It will appear separated, but just keep stirring and it will come together.

The Cream Phase

Just after adding the butter and stirring, you will add the heavy cream. Very slowly, drizzle the cream while stirring. Since the cream is colder than the caramel, it will bubble rapidly at first.

To finish the sauce, add a generous pinch of sea salt and allow to cool before tasting.

Ways to Serve This Caramel Sauce Recipe

The possibilities with this caramel sauce are limitless.

For an instant snack, try serving the sauce as a dip for sliced apple or make a caramel apple sundae. If you have a little more time on your hands, use this sauce as a garnish for apple pie bars (pictured below) or swirl into wedding cake frosting for cupcakes.

A Thin Consistency

Just to prepare you, this caramel recipe is meant to have a liquid consistency (that’s why there’s a bunch of butter and cream). If you refrigerate it, it may thicken slightly, but you can thin it back out by warming it back up.

If you’re looking for a caramel that hardens and can be pulverized into caramel powder, check out this recipe.

AND…for those of you looking to make caramel apples (my favorite Halloween treat), you’ll want to reduce the amount of butter to 2 tablespoons and only add 2 tablespoons cream for a thicker consistency.

Best Salt for Homemade Caramel Sauce

Salt and caramel are best buds dontchaknow? So, which salt is best?

I prefer the subtle flavor of Celtic sea salt, an all-around fantastic finishing salt that dissolves quite well. Basically, avoid table salt, which contains iodine and can be bitter but feel free to use Kosher, Himalayan pink salt, or fine sea salt.

If you want a standard caramel sauce (without a salty flavor), you should start with 1/2 teaspoon salt — you can always add more.

Easy Homemade Caramel Sauce

You need 4 ingredients to make unbelievably rich and buttery caramel sauce: sugar, butter, cream, and salt.

Course Dessert, Sauce

Cuisine American

Keyword caramel, gluten free, sauce

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Total Time 15

Servings people (yield: 1 cup)

Calories 112kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar
6 tablespoons room temperature butter salted or unsalted, cut into chunks
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

Caramelize the sugar. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, begin to heat the sugar without stirring. Very slowly, the sugar will begin to pool at the bottom. Stir with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon until it melts into a clear liquid. Once the sugar dissolves, cook for about 3 minutes; the sugar will develop a delicious caramel aroma and amber color. Immediately, turn off the heat and add the butter.
Stir in the butter. While stirring constantly, let the butter melt into the sugar until you have a smooth, unified sauce.
Stir in the heavy cream. Slowly, pour the heavy cream in a steady stream while stirring; be careful, it will bubble a lot at first. Stir in the salt, and let the sauce cool completely before tasting. Refrigerate the caramel in a sealed mason jar for up to 1 month. It will thicken as it cools, so you may need to warm it before each use.

Notes

Sugar: White granulated or evaporated cane crystals work best. You definitely don’t want to try this recipe with brown sugar.

Salt: Any non-idodized sea salt will work for this recipe. If you want to reduce the saltiness, simply start by adding 1 pinch; it’s easy to add more but impossible to take away.

Caramel Candies or Candy Apples: The amount of butter and cream in this recipe keeps it at a pour-able sauce consistency. If you need something thicker that will set, you must reduce the amount of butter and cream drastically.

Nutrition

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Roasted Roma Tomato Sauce

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 00:01:56 +0000

Once you try homemade tomato sauce, you’ll be inspired to make it again and again.

It’s so fresh tasting and definitely beats what you get out of a can. You’ll want to pour it on absolutely everything! You might even drink it as a soup.

Today, I’m going to show you how to maximize all that fresh tomato flavor with your very own batch of tomato sauce. Whether you like it thick, thin, chunky, or smooth, this basic recipe will have you turning out really good sauce in about 45 minutes.

You can even use it to replace canned tomato puree or diced canned tomatoes.

So grab that apron, and let’s turn a bowl of tomatoes into something warm, sweet, acidic and summery.

PS: This butter anchovy tomato sauce with Bucatini takes 30 minutes in the Dutch oven and uses canned, peeled Roma tomatoes.

How to Make Flavorful Tomato Sauce From Scratch

When it comes to tomato sauce, you want to look for plump, ripe and above-all, flavorful Roma or plum tomatoes. You can even use canned tomatoes, such as San Marzano, which are already peeled.

With this recipe, it’s ok to use blemished tomatoes, just use a pairing knife to remove any flaws.

To concentrate the natural sweet-umami tomato flavor, remove those seeds! Give them a glug of extra virgin olive oil and roast in the oven until you see the skin blister.

Since peak tomatoes need little more than fresh basil, olive oil, and sautéed onion, this recipe is all about purity in flavor. In other words, your sauce may be more light and clean tasting than you are used to in a tomato sauce.

Therefore, I’ll leave it up to you whether to add sautéed garlic, oregano, or Parmesan.

Pro Tip: Add a pinch of salt from the beginning to the end of the cooking process. That way, the salt has time to work its way into the food.

Thick, Thin, Chunky, or Smooth

Depending on how you purée (blend) the tomatoes and how much water you add, you will create your own desired consistency. For a really smooth, creamy texture, I recommend using a blender; this is perfect for soup!

Today, I used an immersion blender to keep things simple. You can see that my sauce has a bit of texture, but is mostly smooth, much like canned tomato puree. You can achieve this texture in a food processor, too.

For a chunkier texture, go ahead and roughly chop the tomatoes prior to roasting (or lightly pulse into large pieces).

Ingredient Tip: Whenever you use a fresh ingredient, like summer tomatoes, you will notice that each batch of tomato sauce tastes a bit different. You can always adjust the seasoning at the end to suit your taste.

Serving Ideas

You can use this sauce as-is with homemade pizza dough for the ultimate garden to table pizza margherita. Addicting!

It’s also a welcome dipping sauce for mozzarella sticks, garlic bread, or polenta fries.

To turn this into a zippy tomato soup dinner, thin it out with water and try adding some garlic and red chile flakes. Top it all off with some croutons.

For a fresh and fast meal or side, ladle it over sautéed zucchini, pasta, or roasted crispy potatoes.

Variations to Try

truffle oil
add these to the soft onions: curry leaves, mustard seeds, cumin, coriander
white wine (reduce with the softened onions)
Parmesan

More Sauce Recipes

With such a flexible recipe, you can hardly go wrong, and I’m sure you will have fun mixing and matching different herbs and spices. FYI, the basil gives it a slight Italian feel, but you could leave it out if your goal is to use it in, say, chili.

Roasted Roma Tomato Sauce

This bright and fresh tasting homemade tomato sauce from fresh or canned Roma tomatoes, olive oil, and basil goes great with pasta, summer vegetables, or as a base for tomato soup.

Course Sauce, Side Dish, Soup

Cuisine American, Italian

Keyword dairy free, gluten free, sauce, tomato, tomato sauce, vegan

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 35

Total Time 40

Servings cups

Calories 168kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

15 large ripe plum tomatoes seeded and halved or 1 (28-oz) can plum tomatoes, drained and juices reserved
¼ cup olive oil divided
½ medium white onion chopped
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil leaves
½ cup water
2 ½ tsp sea salt divided
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
Place the tomatoes on a baking sheet and drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil. Roast for 30 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Warm the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add the onion with ½ teaspoon salt and saute until soft and translucent, about 5 minutes.
Transfer the tomatoes and onion to a blender or food processor (or use an immersion blender) and pulse until smooth. Return the sauce to the saucepot and add the basil, water, 2 teaspoons salt, and pepper. Simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes to marry the flavors. Serve hot or transfer to the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

Notes

Roma Tomatoes: For the best flavor, use ripe summer plum/Roma tomatoes in this recipe. Otherwise, canned San Marzano Roma tomatoes are a fantastic substitution.

Nutrition

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Taco Shop Guacamole Sauce

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Sat, 16 May 2020 19:32:00 +0000

For over a decade, I have been making this avocado chile sauce in the blender by memory, and I’m finally committing my recipe to paper. It’s about time, too, because this technique is super easy, delicious, and one heck of a compliment to beef, chicken, or anything that goes inside a tortilla.

What Is Guacamole Taquero?

Guacamole taquero is a popular taco condiment that blurs the lines between guacamole and salsa. It’s a smooth blend of creamy avocado with tangy tomatillo. Jalapeno or serrano peppers can be used in any quantity to pack a spicy punch, and lime or water can be used to thin it out.

There’s even a hint of cilantro but you could also include pungent epazote if you have access to it.

Serving Ideas

This is a versatile sauce for enjoying as a dip with salty tortilla chips or serving alongside something savory. I’d put this on any taco, but it’s especially good with the barbacoa Mexican shredded beef recipe because it lightens the savoriness of the beef.

How to Make Taco Shop Guacamole Taquero:

To make this sauce, combine all the ingredients in either a blender, food processor, or large bowl, where you can use an immersion blender for about 1 minute to form a thick sauce (thinner if you add water).

Storing Guac Sauce

Since this recipe contains tomatillos, the green color will keep a bit longer than your typical guacamole recipe, up to 3 days in the refrigerator. However, I think a fresh sauce like this one, is best enjoyed same day.

If you are looking for another fun guacamole inspired recipe, I also have a calabacitas guacamole, that’s practically a meal in itself.

Taco Shop Guacamole Sauce

Before you start gobbling tacos or burritos, consider crowning your salty, savory meat with this guacamole taquero – a cross between guacamole and salsa.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword gluten free, green sauce, guacamole, paleo, salsa, sauce, vegan

Prep Time 5

Total Time 5

Servings people

Calories 11kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

2 tomatillos husked, rinsed, and roughly chopped
6 cilantro leaves or fresh epazote
1/4 cup white onion roughly chopped
1 fresh jalapeno or serrano chile including seeds, more or less to taste
1 lime juiced
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 ripe avocados halved and pitted

Instructions

Put all the ingredients in a blender or food processor. Blend until very smooth. You may add 1/4 cup water to thin the sauce if you like. Taste and adjust with additional lime juice, salt, or chile and blend again. Best enjoyed fresh or within 2 days refrigerated in a sealed container.

Notes

How to Make the Guac-Salsa Less Spicy:

Reduce the jalapeno or serrano to 1/2 a pepper and leave the seeds out. This will create a mild spice level.

Nutrition

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Roasted Poblano Salsa with Cucumber and Avocado

Sara @ TheFrayedApron — Sat, 26 Oct 2019 04:01:08 +0000

Roasting poblano for salsa is a great way to introduce more flavor, and I love how it contrasts with the cooling cucumber and avocado.

I love the fresh flavor of this salsa and especially the shades of green – so vibrant! I love the heat factor too and it’s especially good with this southwest stew that gets baked in a pumpkin.

Unlike other salsas that may require a food processor, this salsa is very easy to make with simple ingredients and a little chopping action. You can definitely adjust any of the components to suit your tastes. I like to add a whole jalapeno for a really spicy kick, but you could add less if you want it to be mild.

Roasted Poblano Salsa Ingredients

How do you roast and peel poblano peppers?

My favorite way to roast poblanos is in the oven or over direct flame. You just roast the pepper dry (no need to brush with oil) until the skin looks wrinkly and charred a bit. Invert a bowl over the pepper because the steam will help the skin release. Peel away the outside skin when it’s cooled off. Pull off the stem easily and discard the seeds.

Are roasted poblano peppers hot?

They are mild in nature but definitely have more heat than a bell pepper. Every once in a while, you will get a spicy poblano. If this happens, you can adjust the heat in this salsa by adding more avocado. Fat tames the heat of the chile peppers.

Now, if you have concerns about heat – then you want to reduce the amount of jalapeno because those are spicier than poblanos.

Top Tips for Making Salsa

It’s important to really chop each ingredient into small pieces so that you get a little bit of everything in one bite.
Salt enhances the flavor and releases moisture from the vegetables. Taste and add more salt until it’s delicious but not overly salty to you.
Since there is avocado in this salsa, it’s a good idea to serve it same day – avocados oxidize (turn brown) when exposed to air.
When adding spicy ingredients, like jalapeno, start with half of what the recipe calls for. Taste, and add more if you want to.
Sometimes a salsa seems overly spicy or acidic, until you pair it with food. Always taste your salsa with a salty chip or on the food you plan to serve it with to get the exact balance of acid and heat.

*Did you make this roasted poblano salsa or any other recipe on the blog? Let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!

Roasted Poblano Salsa with Cucumber and Avocado

Roasted Poblano-Cucumber-Avocado Salsa is a refreshing and vibrant green salsa that adds a bit of crunch, heat, and brightness to any dish. I love to serve it on top of southwest stew. Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Course Side Dish

Cuisine American, Mexican, southwest

Keyword avocado, cucumber, gluten free, poblano, roasted, salsa, spicy, vegan

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings people

Calories 67.91kcal

Author Chef Sara Furcini

Ingredients

1 whole poblano chile pepper
2 limes juiced (2 Tablespoons)
1 cucumber peeled, seeded, and chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 tsp salt
1 jalapeno
1 ripe avocado

Instructions

Roast poblano pepper in the oven at 400°F for 30 minutes or over direct flame until the outside skin is charred. Allow to cool, then peel away the outside skin and remove the seeds. Chop and place into a bowl.
Roll the limes under the pressure of your palm on the cutting board, then squeeze the juice over the poblano. Add the cucumber, cilantro, garlic, and salt.
Cut the stem end of the jalapeno and shake out the seeds. Chop and add half for moderate heat or the whole jalapeno for spicy. Cut the avocado in half and remove the seed. Hold the avocado in one hand and cut a crosshatch pattern. Squeeze the flesh over the bowl and away from the skin. Mix well and add more salt to taste.

Video

Nutrition

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