Pesto Rosso
Pesto Rosso (red pesto) is a Sicilian red sauce made out of sun dried tomatoes and is also called Pesto alla Siciliana. This sauce is great on pasta as well as bruschetta. Serve with seafood or poultry. Pesto Rosso is definitely a very versatile sauce.
INGREDIENTS
1/3 Cup Chopped Water Packed Sun Dried Tomatoes (Drained)
2 Garlic Cloves
6 Fresh Basil Leaves
1 Garlic Clove
1 C up Fresh Basil Leaves
¼ Cup Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Pepper
In a medium size sauce pan add the drained sun dried tomatoes, 2 cloves of garlic and 6 basil leaves. Cover with 1/3 cup of water and bring to a boil. Turn off the heat and let stand for 25 minutes. In a food processor or a blender place 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil, 1 garlic clove, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Pulse until the mixture resembles a paste. Next, drain the tomato mixture and add to the food processor and finely chop. The sauce is now ready to use. If you are using as a pasta sauce you may want to thin the sauce with ½ cup of reserved pasta cooking water. Makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta. Serves 4
Teriyaki Sauce
Why buy bottled Teriyaki Sauce when you can make your own? Teriyaki Sauce is a simple blend of Japanese wines, soy sauce and sugar. This salty & sweet condiment gives a glossy sheen to grilled or broiled fish, chicken and meats. If you are using on meats then make sure to baste near the end of cooking to avoid burning. You can also use as a marinade to give the meat a delicious flavor and tenderize too. This Teriyaki Sauce goes well with noodle and rice dishes as well and is perfect for those who like a sweet and tangy taste at one time.
INGREDIENTS
¼ Cup Cold Water
1 Cup Water
6 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
¼ Cup Soy Sauce
2 Tablespoons Cornstarch
5 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
1 Minced Garlic Clove
3 Tablespoons Fresh Grated Ginger
In a medium saucepan and over a medium heat pour in 1 cup of water. Stir in the brown sugar, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, ginger and garlic. Bring to a boil. Stir constantly. In a small bowl dissolve the cornstarch in the ¼ cup of cold water. Wisk the cornstarch until completely dissolved. Add the cornstarch & water mixture into the sauce. Stir and allow the sauce to thicken. Remove from the heat and let cool. Store in a jar or container in the fridge. Keeps for two weeks. Makes 2 servings
Homemade Habanero Hot Sauce
This sauce is HOT, HOT, HOT!!!!! Get yourself a doctor’s note and proceed with caution!
INGREDIENTS
20 Fresh Habaneros
5 Garlic Cloves
½ Cup Champagne Vinegar
½ Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Sea Salt
1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
½ Teaspoon Chili Powder
1 Teaspoon Raw Sugar
Slice and remove the insides of the habaneros. If you want hotter sauce you can use the insides in the sauce as the seed are the hottest part of the habanero. Peel the garlic and cut into quarters. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Oil a pan and roast the habaneros and garlic for 20 minutes until golden brown on top. Make sure that you keep an eye on them as you don’t want them to burn. Roasting the habaneros and the garlic really adds to the flavor.
After removing the habaneros and garlic from the oven, put them into a food processor and add the champagne vinegar, water, sea salt, smoked paprika, chili powder, raw sugar and puree. If you find that the sauce is too thick then add more vinegar and water in equal parts. Pour into a storage container or bottle and refrigerate. This sauce should keep for quite awhile. Use it on eggs, sandwiches, tacos, burgers, pasta, rice dishes or anything that you want to add a kick to. Makes 1 ½ to 2 cups
Tarragon & Shallot Vinaigrette Dressing
INGREDIENTS
1 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Champagne Vinegar
2 Teaspoons Chopped Shallot
2 Teaspoons Chopped Fresh Tarragon
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt
¼ Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, shallot, tarragon, salt and pepper. Whisk to combine. Refrigerate for two hours before serving. Makes about 1 ½ cups
About Marinade
A marinade adds flavor and in some cases tenderizes. Marinades are commonly used for thin cuts of meat, such as steaks.
A flavoring marinade is used with tender beef cuts for a short time. From 15 minutes to 2 hours.
A tenderizing marinade is used with less tender beef cuts (usually from chuck, round, flank and skirt).
A Tenderizing marinade contains a food acid or a tenderizing enzyme.
Acidic ingredients include lemon or lime juice, vinegar, Italian dressing, salsa, yogurt and wine.
Tenderizing enzymes are present in fresh ginger, pineapple, papaya, kiwi and figs.
Less tender steaks should be marinated at least 6 hours, by no more than 24 hours. Longer than 24 hours will result in a mushy texture.
Tenderizing marinades penetrate about ¼ inch into the meat.
Marinate in a food safe plastic bag or a non-reactive glass or stainless steel container. I like to use the large zip lock bags.
Turn steaks or stir beef strips occasionally to allow even exposure to the marinade.
Allow ¼ to ½ cup of marinade for each 1 to 2 pounds of beef.
ALWAYS marinate in the refrigerator. Never marinate at room temperature.
If a marinade will be used later for basting, or served as a sauce, reserve a portion of it before adding the raw beef. Marinade that has been in contact with uncooked meat MUST be brought to a full rolling boil before it can be used as a sauce.
NEVER save and reuse a marinade.
Teriyaki Marinade
INGREDIENTS
½ Cup Soy Sauce
½ Cup Dry Sherry
½ Cup Olive Oil
6 Tablespoons Rice Wine Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
¼ Cup Packed Dark Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Fresh Chopped Ginger
4 Sliced Scallions
2 Cloves Minced Garlic
Combine soy sauce, sherry, olive oil, vinegar, sesame oil and sugar in ceramic bowl and whisk until the sugar dissolves. Add ginger, scallions and garlic. Stir gently. Cover and refrigerate for as long as 2 days.
I love using zip lock plastic bags to marinade meat in overnight.
Garlic & Herb Meat Marinade
INGREDIENTS
¾ Cup Worcestershire Sauce
½ Cup Rice Vinegar
½ Cup Olive Oil
½ Cup Minced Fresh Basil
3 Tablespoon Minced Fresh Garlic
¼ Teaspoon Salt
¼ Teaspoon Fresh Ground Pepper
Mix all ingredients and refrigerate.
