Chapter II: Sauces and Seasonings

Chapter II: Sauces and Seasonings
23. Make perfect gravy for turkey. Looking for the perfect gravy to
have with your holiday turkey? A great tip from the pros is to use tea! Boil
a large pot of water and when you put the turkey in the oven add two
orange pekoe tea bags. Let the tea steep on top of the stove until the turkey
is done then add it to the juices in the pan. Thicken with a mixture of flour
and water or cornstarch.
24. Keep chicken broth handy. Not only is chicken broth an easy
way to add flavor to sauces, it can also be used to add moisture to dry
stuffing. And the unsalted variety can be used to tame over-salty gravy
without diluting the flavor.
25. A flavorful alternative to sour cream. Out of sour cream, or
looking for something different? Consider a quick crème fraiche, which
can be made from one cup of buttermilk and three cups of heavy cream.
Mix them together and let them sit on your counter for about three days.
Then store it in the refrigerator for as long as two weeks.
26. Reduce the power of garlic and onions. Sometimes you don’t
want a strong garlic or onion taste. Get a milder flavor by sautéing them in
butter or olive oil for a few minutes prior to adding them to other foods.
This will release their natural sweetness and give a wonderful flavor.
27. An easy way to peel ginger root. To easily peel ginger root,
place it in the freezer for an hour before use and then remove the skin with
a sharp knife. Or, try using the edge of a spoon when peeling room
temperature ginger root.
28. Use caramelized onions to add flavor. Caramelized onions are
a delicious way to add flavor to mashed potatoes, vegetables, soups and
sauces. Luckily they can be made ahead and kept in the refrigerator so they
are available when you need them. Do this by chopping onions fine and
adding them to melted butter or margarine. Cook at a very low heat until
the onions are brown. Be sure there is always lots of butter or the onions
will become crispy. Once caramelized, transfer them to a plastic container
while the butter is still liquid and store them in the refrigerator. Once
solidified it’s easy to take a spoonful whenever you need it!
29. Fix lumpy sauces. Is your sauce too lumpy? Remove it from the
heat immediately and toss it in your food processor to smooth out the
lumps and blend the flavors. Add some hot water if necessary to assist with
the removal of the lumps. Then reheat as needed and serve!
30. Using pre-made tomato sauce. Store bought tomato sauce is an
easy alternative to making your own. But sometimes it is too acidic or too
salty for the dish you’re using it in. A great tip to cut the acidity of tomato
sauce is to add about one-eighth of a cup of sugar. To reduce saltiness, add
a little cream.
31.Use wine to add a unique flavor to dishes. Wine is another way of
flavoring your dishes, just like herbs and spices. There are really no rules
except those dictated by your own taste. Generally, the kind of wine to use
in a dish is the kind you would most enjoy drinking with it. White wines
are usually served with fish and white meats, and red wines with dark
meats. Don’t worry about the finished dish containing alcohol; wine loses
its alcohol when simmered long enough so no trace of alcohol remains. An
easy way to create a sauce is to deglaze your pan using wine. If needed,
thicken with a little cornstarch.
32. Make your own salad dressings. Store bought salad dressings
are loaded with extra calories and preservatives. And once opened they
often go bad long before they’re used up. A great alternative is to make
your own dressings. For a tasty vinaigrette, mix ¾ cup of oil with ¼ cup of
vinegar and season with salt, pepper and even some Dijon mustard. For
other variations try adding honey, balsamic vinegar, orange juice, maple
syrup, garlic or lime juice. With a little experimentation you’ll be surprised
how many great tastes you can create!
33. Stock, Broth, Bouillon and Consommé. In recipes calling for
chicken or beef stock, you can use homemade or canned stock prepared
from purchased cubes or powdered bases. (Be sure to watch the amount of
salt you later add to your recipe though because some cubes and powdered
bases are very salty). Stock, broth and bouillon are basically the same – the
clear liquid produced when meat, bones and vegetables are simmered in
water to extract flavor and then strained. Stock can be made from meat,
poultry, fish or vegetables. Consommé is stronger than bouillon; it is stock
enriched with more meat and vegetables and then concentrated and
clarified. Now you know!
34. Quickly and easily thicken gravy. Once the roast or turkey is
cooked, there’s always the task of making the gravy and waiting while it
thickens. Luckily, there is a quicker way! Thicken your gravy by adding a
tablespoon of instant mashed potatoes. Start there, and add more if
needed until it’s the right consistency.
35. Dried herbs versus fresh ones. Fresh herbs are best for flavor,
but if unavailable, use about one-third as much dried. If a recipe doesn’t
specify fresh or dried, you can assume it means dried, since dried herbs are
much more commonly used. Whichever herbs you choose, if you’re unsure
of the amount, start with just a little, taste often and add more during
cooking. And to ensure that you’re using dried herbs with the maximum
amount of flavor, replace them every three months.
36. Add garlic to oils and vinegars. Oils and vinegars that have
been flavored with garlic provide a quick and easy way to add some punch
to salad dressings, stir fries and meats. Once prepared they can keep
indefinitely and can be grabbed whenever you want to add a little flavor.
To make your own simply peel garlic cloves and cut them in thirds. Put
them in the bottom of the vinegar or oil shaker and leave for a few weeks
before using.
37. Use marinades to add flavor. A good marinade will add lots of
extra flavor and juices to meats and vegetables. But be careful not to
marinade longer than the recipe calls for. Some foods, seafood in
particular, break down when marinated in acidic ingredients such as
vinegar, wine or citrus fruit juices. The result can be a mushy mess that no
one wants to eat!
38. Make thicker gravy. For thicker gravy, mix some butter and flour
in a frying pan and cook until the mixture is smooth and thick. Add it to
your hot gravy for a thick and rich texture.