Sunday, January 6, 2013

Basic Sauces


If you don't have the magic bullet, you can use a food processor... but again, I HIGHLY recommend making it easier for yourself and just getting this awesome tool. These are all made in the bullet in a matter of seconds. How can you beat that...?

Basic Mayonnaise
Blend in the bullet with the flat whipping blade equal parts egg and extra-light tasting olive oil with a pinch of salt. If you don't feel like it tastes like the stuff in the jar, you can add a splash of apple cider vinegar and squirt of mustard. Also, when the oil gets cooled in the fridge it will thicken up... but you can add more oil if you really want peaks.

Ranch Dressing
Blend with the flat whipping blade basic mayo with equal parts garlic powder, onion powder and dill. For a one egg batch, start with about 1/8 of a tsp of each and add more if you want more flavor. Also, the more salt you add, the more it will taste like the stuff straight out of the bottle. Big shocker there.

Dressing Variations
To the ranch dressing, add an one or more of the following:
-one fully ripened avocado
-roasted red pepper
-lemon juice
-balsamic vinegar
-dijon mustard- also good in combination with balsamic
-roasted garlic

Ketchup
1 whole can of organic stewed tomatoes blended until smooth in the bullet with:
1 tbsp. of white vinegar or balsamic
1/8 tsp of ground cloves
2 tbsp. of xylitol
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp of apple cider (not totally necessary, but I had some)  
2 of the tiny scoops of stevia extract the spoon that comes in the container (probably about 1/8 tsp.)
Boil it all on the stove until it reduces and thickens... add more salt to taste.
I may have also added a tbs. of coffee because I find it makes things taste richer. Definitely cool a little spoonful and taste it to make sure it is the way you want. It only gets better when it is cooled off!

Dairy-Free Alfredo
Using the basic mayo recipe and adding some lemon juice and garlic, whip it up in the bullet. Pour the mix into a sauce pan and whip it with a whisk while heating slowly. It will thicken and you will know when it is done. It takes some practice, but as long as you are continually moving the sauce around and not heating too quickly, it will keep a nice smooth texture. As soon as it is ready, pour it over your veggies, noodles, etc...

Creamy Tomato Sauce
Using the same method and recipe as above, add some organic tomato sauce and check the flavor before it has heated and thickened. If this is a sauce you've eaten often, you will know when it's the right consistency.

Russian Dressing
Use the mayo base and add ketchup, a squirt of mustard and some organic pickle relish or chopped pickles.

BBQ Sauce

Steak Sauce

Hollandaise Sauce

Dairy-Free Hollandaise Sauce
3 eggs
2 1/2 tbs organic lemon juice
1/2 cup lard or extra light tasting olive oil
A pinch of organic paprika
Salt to taste
Whisk everything in a sauce pan on low heat until it thickens.


Deviled Egg Mix (to add to yolks)
Use the basic ranch dressing mixing in the bullet and add:
1 tbsp organic mustard (yellow, stoneground, horseradish... it's up to you)
1/2 tsp organic lemon juice
1/2 tsp organic apple cider vinegar
1/4 tsp paprika
-Makes enough for 1 dozen eggs deviled. Don't add it all at once. It should be the right consistency with all of this mix added to the yolks, but add it in increments to make sure. It will depend on what size eggs you used. You can also mix in capers, chopped red onions, pickle relish, etc... to give the filling a different taste. Stuff it all into a ziploc bag and cut the corner to pipe it into the eggs.

Taste everything as you go! You know what taste you are looking for! The flavors will also become more noticeable as the ingredients sit together longer.
This list of sauces will grow as I continue to create more and get requests for specific recipes.