SWEET SAUCES: This is a treat for coffee lovers as well as those who enjoy desserts flavoured by the taste of coffee in a sauce.

COFFEE SAUCE:

 

 

 

¾ cup sugar                                                    

6 ½ tbsp. water

6 cups espresso coffee

 

 

 

Dissolve sugar in water in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the coffee. Bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and boil mixture until it thickens. Let cool.

 

Refrigerate before serving.

SWEET SAUCES: This sauce is similar to the caramel that is used to form the sauce of the "creme caramel" dessert that I will upload under the "dessert" category later. It is more versatile and can be used to flavour ice cream or other desserts.

CARAMEL SAUCE:

 

 

 

7 tbsp. sugar                                                   

7 tbsp. water

2/3 cup hot 18% cream

 

 

 

In a heavy saucepan over low-medium heat, dissolve sugar in water. Increase heat and bring to a vigorous boil. Continue boiling until water has evaporated, and the colour of liquid has turned light golden yellow. 

 

Quickly remove from heat, and add hot cream in a steady stream and mix in well. Cool slightly to be used, or refrigerate before serving.

SWEET SAUCES: Sweet sauces are generally very easy to make and satisfying to the senses. This example is no exception.

BUTTER CARAMEL SAUCE:

 

 

 

½ cup superfine brown sugar                                      

1 cup maple syrup

¼ cup butter                                                                

½ cup cream

 

 

 

In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt butter, sugar, maple syrup together. Add cream and bring mixture to a gentle boil. Continue to simmer mixture until it turns golden brown and thickened.

SWEET SAUCES: Here is a collection of fresh fruit sauces that can be used to serve with ice creams or other desserts.

PEACH SAUCE:

 

 

1 lb. fresh peaches                                                      

2/3 cup water

juice of ½ lemon                                                         

3 ½ tbsp. sweet white wine     

½ vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract            

6 tbsp. sugar

 

 

 

Blanch peaches in a pan of boiling water for a few seconds. Cool slightly, then peel off skin. Half peaches and remove stones. Cut peaches into slices.  

 

In a saucepan, bring sliced peaches and the rest of ingredients to a boil. Simmer 1 to 2 minutes. Let cool. Remove vanilla bean if using, puree the peaches then strain the sauce.

 

 

 

BLACKCURRANT SAUCE:

 

 

 

 

7-8 oz. black currants or blueberries                              

1 tsp. cassis (black currant liqueur)

sugar to taste                                                               

lemon juice to taste.

 

 

 

Cook black currants or blueberries with a little sugar over low heat until softened. Mash with a wooden spoon until pureed. Pass through a sieve. Add cassis and lemon juice to taste.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CHERRY SAUCE:

 

 

 

7 to 8 oz. fresh cherries, stoned                                                     

4 tbsp. sugar

7 tbsp. water

 

 

 

In a saucepan, bring the cherries, sugar and water to a boil. Cook over medium heat until softened. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth. Pour through a sieve before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

PINEAPPLE SAUCE:

 

 

 

1 ¼ cups ripe pineapple chunks                                  

½ cup + 2 tsp. sugar

1/3 vanilla bean                                                          

1 ¼ cups Malibu liqueur

1¼ cups dark rum

 

 

Dice the pineapple and reserving the juice. 

 

Heat sugar together with vanilla bean in a heavy saucepan over low heat until it forms a pale caramel. Carefully and gradually add the rum and Malibu liqueur, together with pineapple pieces and juice, stirring constantly.

 

Transfer to a bowl and let cool before serving.

 

 

 

 

 

 

RED FRUIT SAUCE:

 

 

 

½ cup strawberries                                                      

¼ cup raspberries

2 tbsp. redcurrants                                                      

6 tbsp. sugar

¼ cup boiling water                                                    

½ cup cold water

 

 

 

Put berries in a blender and blend until smooth. Pass through a sieve into a large bowl, set aside.

 

Dissolve sugar in boiling water. Add cold water and stir well to make into syrup. Add syrup into fruit puree to make into fruit sauce.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAVOURY SAUCE: Here is a collection of my favourite tomatoes sauces. Hopefully they might become useful to you.

BASIC TOMATO SAUCE:

 

 

 

¼ cup extra virgin olive oil                                         

1 Spanish, or red onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, peeled, thinly sliced                           

3 tbsp. chopped fresh thyme

½ medium carrot; thinly chopped                               

2 x 28-oz cans plum tomatoes

¾ tsp. chopped, fresh or ½ tsp. dried oregano

8 fresh basil leaves, chopped

2 tbsp. chopped Italian parsley                                   

salt and fresh ground pepper.

 

 

 

In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, garlic and cook until soft. Add rest of chopped vegetables and cook 5 to 10 minutes more. Crush tomatoes and add into pan; then bring to a boil. Add chopped herbs, salt and pepper.

 

Lower heat and simmer sauce for 30 to 45 minutes until thick. Adjust seasoning. This sauce holds 1 week in refrigerator or up to 6 months in freezer. Recipe can be doubled.

 

To freshen sauce from freezer:  Heat 1/3 cup olive oil, 2 tbsp. butter in a heavy pan. Cook ¼ cup finely-chopped onion until soft. Add pinch of oregano and basil and the frozen or thawed tomato sauce. Cook over low heat 15 to 20 minutes. It is ready to be served.

 

 

 

 

 

VARIATIONS:

 

 

1.   SPICY TOMATO SAUCE: Add 1 tsp. red chilli flakes or ½to 1 tsp. hot chilli powder together with the thyme, and cook the sauce as before.

 

 

2.   10 MINUTES TOMATO SAUCE:

 

 

1 x 28-oz can whole tomatoes                                    

1/3 cup olive oil

10 basil leaves                                                            

pinch of cayenne pepper

salt and freshly-ground pepper                                   

1 tbsp. unsalted butter

 

 

 

Put tomatoes in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Process, using on/off pulses, until finely chopped.

 

In a saucepan over medium heat, heat olive oil until hot and add basil leaves. Cook until they begin to wilt, about 10 seconds. Add in tomatoes and cayenne pepper, salt and pepper to taste. Cover pan, bring to a boil and cook, stirring, until sauce becomes slightly thickened, about 6-7 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Adjust seasoning and serve over cooked pasta.

3.   THICK TOMATO SAUCE FOR PASTA:

 

 

 

2 x 28 oz. cans plum tomatoes, drained                                  

3 tbsp. olive oil

4 medium red onions peeled and slice very thin                     

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

salt and freshly ground pepper

 

 

 

In a saucepan, heat olive oil over medium-low heat and cook onions until very soft. Add garlic and cook 5-10 minutes more. Add tomatoes and stir the mixtures to break them up.

 

Season with salt and pepper to taste and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, for about 1 to 1 ½ hours. The oil should come to the surface and the sauce will be dark red and extremely thick. 

 

Cook pasta and transfer by tongs into the pan of sauce. Toss well. Top off with a little extra virgin oil, salt and pepper, and a bit of pasta-cooking liquid if necessary.                                                

 

 

4.   TOMATO AND HERB SAUCE FOR PASTA:

 

 

3 large plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded and diced                   

¾ cup olive oil

3 large shallots, finely chopped                                              

2 cloves garlic, crushed

6 large basil leaves, cut into julienne strips                             

2 sprigs coriander

3 sprigs tarragon                                                                     

1 tbsp. lemon juice

salt and fresh ground pepper

 

 

Heat oil in a saucepan over low heat until hot and cook shallots and garlic for about 5 minutes, or until softened. Remove from heat. Remove stalks from tarragon and coriander, add together with basil strips into oil mixture and leave to infuse for 5 minutes; then mix in tomatoes.

 

Return to the heat and cook gently until piping hot. Add lemon juice salt and pepper to taste. Toss sauce with freshly cooked spaghetti.

SAVURY SAUCES: Here is my version of that favourite condiment to go with fried fish. Please try it.

TARTAR SAUCE:

 

 

1 egg + 2 egg yolks

2 tbsp. lemon juice                                         

1 cup corn oil

2 green onions, minced                                   

2 tbsp. minced sweet pickle

1 tbsp. each minced parsley & fresh dill

1 tbsp. capers                                                  

salt and cayenne pepper

 

 

Combine egg, egg yolks and lemon juice in a bowl and whisk well. Add oil drop by drop, whisking constantly to make mayonnaise.

 

Stir green onions, pickle, parsley, dill and capers into mayonnaise, and season it with salt and cayenne pepper to taste.

SAVOURY SAUCE: Just like hummus, tahini sauce is very good on warm or toasted pita bread. Enjoy.

TAHINI SAUCE:

 

 

 

1 cup cooked chick peas or garbanzo beans               

¼ cup plain yogurt

2 tbsp. Tahini or sesame seed paste                            

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tbsp. lemon juice                                                     

¼ tsp. geach round cumin & cayenne pepper                                                

salt and pepper

water or chicken stock

 

 

Place chick peas in the work bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Process until coarsely chopped. Add rest of ingredients and process together until smooth. If mixture becomes too thick, dilute it by adding water or chicken stock.

 

Transfer to a glass jar with lid. Refrigerate until needed. 

SAVOURY SAUCES: Apple sauce has been in use in my family for over 30 years. It began as a home-made baby food--without butter & sugar--to a must-have condiment in the case of pork roast that the whole family enjoys.

APPLE SAUCE:

 

 

4 large cooking apples, peeled and sliced                   

3 cloves

¼ cup sugar, or to taste                                               

2 tbsp. butter, softened

 

 

 

Cook apples with the cloves in boiling water for 2-3 minutes until just softened. Transfer apples to blender or food processor fitted with steel blade. Discard cloves. Puree apples, adding as much of the cooking liquid as needed to make into a sauce of desired consistency.

 

 Add butter and sugar to taste. Process with on/off pulses a few seconds to mix in.

 

Serve warm over roast pork, and roast goose. 

SAVOURY SAUCES: Here are a few variations of the pesto sauce that you might find interesting & useful.

 

PESTO SAUCES:

 

 

1.   green olive pesto:

1 ½ cups large or jumbo pitted green olives                

½ red onion, chopped

¼ cup pine nuts                                                          

1 clove garlic, thinly sliced

½ cup extra-virgin olive oil, approximately

 

 

In a food processor fitted with steel blade, combine the olives, onion, pine nuts and garlic and process for 1 minute. With the motor running, add the olive oil in a stream through the feed-tube. Process until it forms a thick paste. Allow to stand 30 minutes before using. This makes 1 ½ cups of sauce. Use to spread on toast.

 

 

 

2.   black olive Pesto---same recipe, substituting black olive for green.

 

 

 

3.   hazelnut pesto:

2 cups basil leaves, washed and spun dry                   

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. hot red pepper flakes                                        

¼ cup hazelnuts

½ cup or more extra-virgin olive oil                            

salt to taste

 

In a food processor, combine basil, garlic, red pepper flakes and hazelnuts. Pulse on/ off 3 times to start the chopping process. With machine running, add olive oil through the feed tube in a steady stream, until mixture forms a paste. Add salt to taste. Use to toss freshly cooked pasta.

 

 

 

4.   pesto sauce with cheeses:

3 tbsp. pine nuts                                                         

2 cups basil leaves

1 clove garlic                                                              

pinch of salt

3 tbsp. grated Pecorino cheese                        

1 ¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil                          

½ cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese

 

 

Combine pine nuts, basil leaves, garlic and salt in food processor. Add cheeses and drizzle in olive oil. Store pesto sauce in glass jar, top with extra olive oil.      

 

 

 

 

 

 

SPINACH PESTO SAUCE:

 

 

4 cloves garlic, crushed                                              

1 bunch spinach

1 cup fresh parsley leaves                                          

½ cup walnut pieces                                       

2/3 cup freshly gated Parmesan cheese                       

4 anchovy filets

1 tbsp. each dried tarragon & basil

1 tsp. salt + ½ tsp. pepper

¼ tsp. anise or fennel seeds                                        

1 cup olive oil

 

 

Wash, dry and chop spinach. Trim and discard stems from parsley. Turn all ingredients except oil into food processor fitted with steel blade. Process until mixture is smooth. With motor running, add olive oil in a stream through feed-tube. When all oil has been added, taste and adjust seasoning. Transfer to a glass jar, cover with a good-fitting lid.

 

Refrigerate until needed.

 

SAVOURY SAUCES: Pesto sauce is invariably my favourite sauce for pasta. It is even easier to whip up at home, compared to the basic tomato sauce.

PESTO SAUCE:

 

 

 

2 cups fresh basil leaves, packed                                            

½ cup extra virgin olive oil                             

½ cup freshly grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese                    

1/3 cup pine nuts

3 cloves garlic, minced                                                           

salt and pepper to taste

 

 

 

Combine basil and pine nut in the work bowl of a food processor with steel blade attached. Process with on/off pulses a few times. Add garlic and process on/off a few times more.

 

With motor running, add olive oil through the feed tube in a steady stream. Stop machine and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula once or twice. Add grated cheese, salt and pepper to taste and pulse once or twice to mix.

SAVOURY SAUCES: This is my version of a good alternative sauce for pasta.

PARSLEY-CREAM SAUCE

 

 

 

100gm. curly leaf parsley                                           

100gm. watercress

4 tbsp. whipping cream                                               

salt and pepper                                               

1 cup chicken or vegetable stock

 

 

 

Wash the parsley and watercress, discarding thick stalks.  Blanch parsley in a pot of boiling water for 4 minutes, then add watercress and continue cooking 1-2 minutes more.

 

Drain well and arrange blanched leaves on a dry clean tea towel.  Roll up and squeeze the towel tightly to extract all the water.

 

Transfer leaves to the bowl of a food processor fitted with steel blade. Add cream and seasoning and puree until smooth, scraping down the sides frequently, until the consistency of the sauce becomes quite silky.  Add the stock and blend in well.

 

Return the sauce to saucepan over medium-high heat. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer 1-2 minutes. Adjust seasoning. Toss sauce with fresh-cooked pasta.

SAVOURY SAUCES: This is a very easy home-made condiment to go with roast lamb.

MINT SAUCE:

 

 

 

½ cup finely-chopped fresh mint                                  

1 tbsp. sugar

2 tbsp. hot water

vinegar to taste

salt and pepper

 

 

In a bowl, stir sugar into the mint. Add salt and pepper to taste. Pour in hot water and sufficient vinegar to mix into the desired consistency. Serve with roast lamb. 

SAVOURY SAUCES: This is a popular marinade as well as sauce used in Japanese cooking.

YAKITORI SAUCE:

 

 

1 cup sake                                                                  

2/3 cup crushed rock sugar

2/3 cup mirin or any Japanese rice wine                                                                     

1 ½ cups dark soy sauce

½ cup light soy sauce

 

 

 

Mix ingredients in a saucepan over low heat. Cook to melt sugar and bring to a boil. Simmer 15-20 minutes to develop flavour. Cool and refrigerate.

 

Use to marinade chicken.