Posts from the ‘Informational’ Category

DIY SALAD DRESSINGS-PLAIN to FANCY

We know choosing lettuce or greens for salads with taste and texture which compliments the other ingredients is important, (see post of Apr. 28, 2022) but equally important is the way the salad is dressed. The dressing is the element which brings the salad together and defines the final flavor. It gives the salad its zing! Interestingly, the development of salad dressings mirrors the path of America’s culinary evolution.

Salads are probably the food category which has steadily increased in popularity and importance over the past century. Tossing a side salad at table became a very ‘in’ thing during the 1920s and by the 1930s Composed salads appeared as entrees. Groundbreakers were the Cobb, Waldorf, Chef’s and Caesar, which is still a headliner today. By the 1940s, salads were normal components of dinner and in the 1950s, gained attention as ‘healthy’ and/or slimming foods. To this point there were a selection of standard dressings in markets, French, Russian, Italian and a few specialty flavors like Catalina, and Roquefort. In the 1960s new favors like Ranch and Green Goddess were added.

However, as the healthy eating trend, grew the concept of ‘Lite’ or low-cal foods was born and really affected salad dressings. By the 1970s there were ‘Lite’ versions of all dressings available and by the 1980s low-sodium versions as well as exotic flavors such as Poppy Seed and Asian Sesame. Our culinary curiosity had been aroused, especially in an Eastern direction. In the 1990s interest shifted to the ingredients, rather than the finished product and in making/creating foods from scratch as cooking skills became trendy. 

Although there’s a vast array of commercial salad dressings now in markets, interestingly the variety is rivaled by the ever increasing number of vinegars and oils available, with more from new sources and with new flavorings added constantly. 

Moreover, nowadays, most salad recipes come with dressing directions for that specific dish, leading to the idea of tailoring a salad to fit an entrée, or an individual’s taste simply by personalizing the dressing. It’s a cool way for a cook to keep a family’s interest, score compliments and be remembered, with a basic knowledge of oils and vinegars. These two are the foundation of most salad dressings and often the right combination is sufficient alone. This is called vinaigrette. To learn about oils and vinegars and how to create your own flavors, see last week’s post, May 12, 2022. The only exception is the substitution of an acidic liquid such as lemon juice for the vinegar. To read my original post on this subject click July, 29, 2015.

As a result, vinaigrettes are pretty much a free-form category of salad dressings, but there are a few tips on working with them.
1) To get a creamy appearance blend, adding a cracked ice cube as you do. No more than 1 cube per cup of dressing.
2) To simply smooth, shake dressing in a jar with ice until chilled, then discard ice
3) To prevent separating (emulsifying): stir or shake in 1 Tbs. molasses. It doesn’t alter taste. Small amounts of powdered mustard, paprika or ground nuts also work, but they may tinge the flavor.
4) For a quick fix, use powdered garlic (NOT garlic salt) and dried herbs, but allow at least 1 hr. for flavors to emerge and meld.

Vinaigrettes

Basic Vinaigrette
The fundamental ratio is 1 part vinegar to 3 parts oil, with salt and pepper to taste. Dissolve seasonings in vinegar. If making in a jar, add the oil in 3 parts, shaking between. If using a blender or a bowl add oil in a thin stream with machine running or constantly stirring.

A Simple Dressing With Many Uses: All recipes yield about ¾ cup
Double basic proportions of oil and vinegar*
1 small shallot or 1/3 a small onion – minced
½ garlic clove- minced
½ tsp. each salt, pepper and Dijon mustard
OPTIONAL 1-2 tsp. dried herbs of choice-for example an Italian blend
Prepare dressing as directed above.
*Infused oil and/or vinegar will affect flavor as will using different types of vinegar.
• To infuse oil or vinegar steep herb fronds, pieces of spices, like ginger, or small vegetables such as garlic cloves or peppers in the liquid until the desired flavor is achieved
• For Tomato Italian vinaigrette use red wine vinegar, substitute 2Tbs.tomato puree for the mustard and add 2 tsp . dried basil or 1 Tbs. chopped fresh
• For Balsamic vinaigrette increase the vinegar by 1 Tbs. and replace mustard with lemon
• For Citrus vinaigrette replace the vinegar with ¼ cup fresh lemon or lime juice and add 1 tsp. of the fruit’s zest.
• For Greek vinaigrette make the Citrus dressing with lemon adding ¼ cup crumbled Feta cheese and 3 Tbs. each chopped mint and kalamata olives. Shake well.
• For French dressing replace ½ the vinegar with lemon juice and add 1/8th tsp. paprika—the paprika will emulsify the dressing. Recommend smoothing with ice.
• For using up Leftovers for each Tbs. of mayonnaise or mustard left in a jar add ¼ cup EACH oil and wine vinegar, or lemon juice, ½ garlic clove-minced-and 1 tsp. dried mixed herbs, salt and pepper to taste.
• For Creamy vinaigrette: Use white wine or cider vinegar. After adding oil mix in 1-2 Tbs. chopped fresh herbs then ¼ cup heavy cream. Store chilled.
• For Low-Fat vinaigrette replace 1/3 oil with juice, broth, fruit or vegetable puree or tea which lowers the acidity of the vinegar. Reducing the oil content further thins the liquid too much, requiring the addition of gelatin or cornstarch to make the dressing coat.

Basic Low-Fat Vinaigrette
¼ cup EACH vinegar and broth or juice
2 Tbs. oil
½ tsp. EACH honey, salt and pepper
1 tsp. Dijon mustard
Combine ingredients in a jar and shake well until blended

Other Easy DIY Dressings All yield about ¾ cup

French Roquefort Dressing:
¼ cup crumbled Roquefort, Bleu, Gorgonzola or Stilton cheese
2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice—1 Tbs. in reserved depending on taste preference.
½ cup extra virgin olive oil
Mash, whip, shake and/or blend the ingredients, until the cheese is dissolved in the liquid. Store chilled and shake well before using. This is best over a softer lettuce such as Bibb, or red or green leaf.

Asian Peanut Dressing:
3 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 tsp. EACH soy sauce and chopped ginger or 1/2 tsp. powdered ginger
½ tsp. chopped garlic or ¼ tsp. garlic powder
Pinch EACH ground cumin and coriander
¼ small onion chopped
1 Tbs. EACH creamy peanut butter and oil
¼ tsp. hot pepper sauce –optional
Place all ingredients in a jar and shake until well combined

Yogurt-Fruit Dressing:
½ cup plain yogurt
1/3 cup blended fresh fruit of choice
1 Tbs. lemon or lime juice-depending on fruit used
1 tsp. EACH honey and Dijon mustard
Puree all ingredients until smooth. Store chilled

Raspberry-Wine Dressing :
1 cup fresh or dry pack frozen raspberries
1/3 cup Merlot
1/3 cup oil
1 sliced shallot
2 Tbs. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. honey
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 Tbs. sour cream—optional
Puree all ingredients until smooth. Store chilled.

Creamy Dressings Each yields about 11/2 cups

Basic Low-Fat Dressing Recipe
To make these dressings low-fat, use low-fat ingredients. To lower fat content further replace1/2 mayonnaise with ½ avocado pureed.
2/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup sour cream
2Tbs. white wine vinegar
1tsp. EACH Worcestershire Sauce and Dijon mustard
¼ tsp. cracked pepper
Whisk or blend all ingredients. Store chilled.

VARIATIONS

• For Ranch Dressing substitute cider vinegar. Add ½ cup shredded carrots, 1Tbs. chopped parsley,1/2 tsp. EACH sugar, celery flakes and celery seeds and onion powder.
• For Green Goddess Add ½ clove garlic crushed and 3 Tbs. EACH chopped scallions and parsley
• For Russian add 1/3 cup chili sauce, 2 Tbs. EACH chopped pimento OR pepper, and celery and another tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
• For Creamy Italian add 1 tsp. roasted garlic, 2 Tbs. minced onion,1/2 tsp. EACH dried oregano and basil, or ¼ cup of EACH chopped fresh. Shake or whisk well.

These are just the basic dressing recipes, but there are enough variations included to give you a springboard to finding ways to individualizing them or moving on to create your own. Have fun and Happy Salad Days ahead. Any questions—just contact me and please join us next week.

ALL ABOUT OILS AND VINEGARS

As the weather gets warmer, salads become frequent menu options and the way a salad is dressed is as important as choosing the right lettuce or greens (April 28, 2022).There is a huge variety of commercial salad dressings, but basically they all narrow down to a base of oil and vinegar with added flavorings. 

Although for many years restaurant tables were set with small carafes of oil and vinegar, they remained untouched. Customers preferred ordering from a ‘house selection’ of dressings and using bottled ones or mixes at home. Only in the past few decades has the individuality, uniqueness and fresh taste of making and/or creating a dressing for a salad at serving time, been appreciated. Now, customers often ask for specific vinegars or grade of olive oil in restaurants and keep a selection of each at home.

This culinary revolution started in the 1960s with the focus on Heart Health, cholesterol and saturated vrs. unsaturated fats, which led to an interest in different oils and a general appreciation of vinegars. The ability to season both, especially vinegar by marinating herbs, spices and bits of fruits, vegetables and even flowers was rediscovered and has resulted in a staggering array of flavors and possible combinations. Oils can also be marinated, but primarily, their flavors and characteristics depend on the plant matter from which they were pressed.

However, both oil and vinegar are ancient, among the oldest condiments known to man dating back thousands of years. I examine vinegars in detail in my post of July 13, 2016 and oils on June 30, 2016. I’m consolidating them here for expediency, but please click the links and get all the information.
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Vinegar is a summer favorite. It’s the tenderizing agent in marinades, and adds the zing to dressings. Balsamic, on its own, is a tasty sauce for fresh fruit. Like oil, vinegar is ancient. There are records of it in Egypt before 3000 B.C., but unlike oils which are extracted by pressing, vinegar is the result of natural fermentation. The exception is White Vinegar which is a dilution of distilled grain alcohol, usually about 5%, in water.   Rice vinegar and malt vinegar are also made from grains but through fermentation not distillation.

Fruit is the most universal basis for vinegar dependent on regional produce.  Apples and grapes, also pears, peaches, and apricots lead in western cuisines whereas plums are favored in Japan.  Eastern European countries use beets to make vinegar and Asian cuisines favor rice vinegar, often seasoned. A newcomer to the commercial scene is coconut vinegar, from the tropics, prized for its nutritional value.

The fruit based vinegars are easy to make and a god home project.   Stored in a cool, dark place, in glass bottles, vinegar will keep almost indefinitely. I use a simpler way to make cider vinegar annually. For detailed instructions on both methods click the link provided above.

Flavoring vinegar is easy and decorative too, especially white wine vinegars which also allow faster flavor infusion. Simply put the flavoring agent, peppers, herbs, spices etc. in the vinegar and wait for the desired result. So long as the agents are clean and dry, the acidity prevents mold or impurities from developing as they can when flavoring oil. Again refer to above link for directions.

Tips on working with vinegar in the kitchen:

1) Be sure to stick to stated amounts in a recipe, or if ‘winging it’ add in small increments. Too much acidity ruins the taste of a dish.

2) Wipe-up spills with a towel and then wipe area with another dampened with clear water

3) Don’t try to flavor with any substance that can disintegrate. It is difficult to remove by straining and will cloud the finished item.

4) Adding small amounts to soups, stews, sauces and gravies can boost taste and give depth to the flavor.

5) A bit of vinegar added to water cooked in metal containers will prevent discoloration.

6) A few drops of vinegar added to beaten egg whites gives them stability.

7) Use as a replacement for citrus juice in dressings, sauces and some recipes.

8) Commercial imitations are made from red wine vinegar, fortified with concentrated grape juice and caramelized for color. They’re fine to deglaze sauces, flavor dressings or season slow-cooked meats. 9) Any vinegar can be used for pickling but the most widely used are cider in the west and rice in Asian cuisines.  It’s a case of using native products in each region.

A note about Balsamic vinegar; Balsamic is the Gold Standard of vinegars. Made in Modena, Italy, from Trebbiano white grape juice, it is aged in a succession of barrels, each of a different wood to impart its special taste, for at least 10, but often 50 or even 100 years. It is not to be heated and is rarely combined with other ingredients. Pure balsamic is labeled ’balsamico tradizionael’ and meant to be savored drizzled over steaks or fresh fruits, especially berries. Usually seen in a deep brown, there is also a White Balsamic which has an equally intense flavor. Commercial imitations are made from red wine vinegar, fortified with concentrated grape juice and caramelized for color. They’re fine to deglaze sauces, flavor dressings or season slow-cooked meats.

Sherry vinegar goes through a similar process, being aged for 6 years in a network of barrels called solera. The best come from southern Spain and say Jarez or Xeres on the label.

A General Guide to Vinegars and Their Uses:
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Balsamic (see note)             Distinctive, intense, full bodied                      A garnishing drizzle over steak;
                                                semi-sweet taste. Comes in light and            sauce for fresh fruit; alone
                                                dark varieties                                                      drizzled over a salad
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Cider and Fruit                   Unpasteurized will have the best                       Deglazing, vinaigrettes. Cider is
                                            flavor. Mild, taste multipurpose                        good for pickling

Distilled White Vinegar     Higher percentages of grain alcohol                  Commercially used in processed
                                              give a harsh pungent flavor, 5% is mild            foods and preserves. Home use

                                              mostly cleaning and deodorizing

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Flavored Vinegars           Best based on white wine vinegars                 Excellent for vinaigrettes or to add

                                            Infused with fruits, herbs, spices.                    Subtle flavor to chicken, fish or

                                           vegetable dishes

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Malt Vinegar                    Mild flavor depending on type of beer           Pickles, dressings for vegetable
                                            Often considered a condiment                         salads, fish & chips

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Red Wine Vinegar         Best from a wine region, Italy, France or               Deglazing sauces; flavor boost;
                                          California. Good all-purpose kitchen choice         combine with other ingredients

                                          for robust vinaigrettes

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Rice Vinegar                 Favored in Asian cuisines. Made in 3 vanities

                                        White-delicate flavor, pale golden color                Sauces for chicken, fish,

                                        Chinese is harsher than Japanese                            vegetables

                                        Red                                                                                 Dipping sauces

                                        Black – Very esoteric                                                   Pickling

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Sherry Vinegar          Sweeter and more complex than other                   Excellent vinaigrettes . Deglazing

                                     Wine vinegars                                                              for pan sauces for chicken, pork or

                                      beef

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White Wine or                   Subtle flavor and delicate                              Vinaigrettes especially for seafood

Champagne Vinegar                                                                                     chicken salads. Sauces for chicken

                                                                                                                         and fish. Delicate pickling

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Oils exist in infinite variety, many ancient but several new, if one includes the blends and infusions. They range from the delicate dessert flavorings, to the sturdy deep fry agents, and their shelf life varies as well, so it’s wise to forego buying exotic oil, until there is a specific request for it, lest it go rancid (stale). Oils should always be stored in a cool dark place, even refrigerated once opened to extend their life. This may turn them cloudy but they regain clarity when returned to room temperature.

Many wonderful oils remained locked in their ethnic cuisines until the movement to expand culinary horizons began in the 1960s with the resultant urge to intermingle ingredients. Now oils that were only found in specialty stores are in the supermarkets. Experimenting with them can be a marvelous taste adventure. Several can even stand on their own without help from other ingredients. A fresh pear salad on mixed baby greens is delightful lightly dressed with only a drizzle of walnut oil. Don’t be afraid to try different brands either, or different countries of origin

One test of oil’s functionality is its smoke point. This is the temperature at which an oil begins to smoke and will taint the taste of the food. The most fragile oils can’t stand up to any heat and will break apart. Hardier ones can be used for baking and light sautéing, but reaching their smoke point over direct heat will fog your kitchen and possibly ignite. The safest choices are the cooking oils, with high smoke points (consult the chart below) found on the market shelves often under generic brand names. There are several choices but I like canola oil. It’s lighter than the others, tasteless and can do multi-purpose, even a dressing base. Below is a chart of several oils, their distinctive qualities and their uses. For more information click the link given above.

Oils are classified as fats in food references. That category is in turn divided into two, saturated and non-saturated fats. Organically, there are two types of fats: solid and liquid. A third type, the trans-fatty acid, has been chemically engineered to bridge the gap between them.

Solid fats congeal at room temperature, and are composed of Saturated Fatty Acids. They derive mainly from animal sources, meat and dairy products, butter is a good example. On ingredient charts, solid fat content is listed simply as saturated fat.  Although a certain amount of saturated fat is necessary in our diets, it’s wise to avoid excess. The body has difficulty in processing saturated fat and tends to store it, thus causing a weight gain. More importantly, because saturated fat raises cholesterol levels in the bloodstream, it is linked to heart and blood pressure problems.

Trans Fatty Acids are the middle ground. With two exceptions, coconut and palm oils, these are chemically created products that remain solid at room temperature by hydrogenating liquid oils. The result is that a portion of the liquid oil has been changed into a saturated fat. All margarines are in this category, as is Crisco, and fat levels vary. So read the label before you buy. Don’t make the mistake of thinking trans-fats are ‘figure’ friendly because caloric content remains fairly equal across this entire classification.

Non-Saturated Fats which includes oils, remain liquid at room temperature, and are called monounsaturated, when derived from vegetables and include the Omega 3 fatty acids found in some fish, and polyunsaturated, when derived from seeds, including nuts. Generally, non-saturated fats are believed to lower cholesterol levels in the bloodstream.

Some tips on working with oil:

• Oil can be reused for frying 2-3 times. Strain it well and cool before storing. Remove any odors by storing it with slices of raw potato.
• To prevent messy rings on cabinet shelves, wrap a doubled paper towel around the middle of the bottle, secured with a rubber band.
• To mop up a spill, cover with flour, wait a few minutes and wipe up with paper towels.
• To dispose of used oil, either seal it in a jar or sop it up with paper towels then seal them in a plastic bag
• Oil is hot enough to cook when the surface shimmers
• To replace butter with oil, use 80% of the butter measurement .
• When making marinades which are to be used for basting or heated for sauces, and when choosing an oil to grease a grill choose an oil with a high smoke point. See the chart below
• Oils can be infused to give them custom flavor. Olive oil is the favorite base choice. Make sure the infusing ingredients are clean and dry before immersing them to avoid bacterial growth. If using herbs, bruise them slightly to release their oil. Seal tightly in a jar and leave in the refrigerator for 1-2 weeks. Test to determine taste and when desired flavor is reached, strain and discard solids. Store, chilled for 1 month. Botulism is a concern, so at the first sign of spoilage discard it all. Alternatively, for quick results, heat the oil and infusions to 180 deg. cool, strain and serve.

        OIL                                       DESCRIPTION                                               USE

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Almond                    Toasted almond flavor, breaks down with heat           Dressings, cold
                                                                                                                                desserts
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Avocado                     Rich, buttery flavor, breaks down with heat                 Dressings, sauces
——————————————————————————————————————— Canola (Rapeseed)         Flavorless, light yellow color, fairly high                     Dressings, sautéing,

                                     Smoke point 435 deg. F                                                    frying, baking
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Corn                            Mild flavor, yellow color, fairly low                                  Sautéing, light
                                    smoke point 410 deg. F                                                      frying
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Grapeseed              Mild flavor, high smoke point 445 deg. F                     Dressings, sautéing, frying
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Hazelnut                  Aromatic hazelnut flavor, breaks down                          Dressings, sauces
                                  with heat                                                                                       baking
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Olive *                      Mild to rich olive flavor, pale yellow to  deep                 Dressings, sautéing
                                  green color, fairly low smoke point 410 deg. F                          light frying
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Peanut**                   Neutral flavor, golden color, high smoke point               Stir-frying, sautéing
                                    450 deg. F                                                                                 frying
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Pumpkin                    Roasted pumpkin seed flavor, green color,                   Dressings, sauces
                                    breaks down with heat
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Safflower                  Mild flavor, light texture, high smoke                              Sautéing, frying
                                    point 450 deg. F
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Sesame                    Strong nutty flavor, breaks down with heat                    Dressings, sauces
(toasted)
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Soybean                   Mild flavor, light color, high smoke point 450 deg.F     Sautéing, frying
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Sunflower                 Light in flavor and color, breaks down with heat           Dressings, sautéing
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Walnut                       Rich walnut flavor, amber color, breaks down              Dressings, sauces,
                                    with heat                                                                                  baking
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* Extra virgin olive oil comes from the first pressing and is the lightest in color and most delicate in flavor. It should be used for dipping and dressings only. Virgin olive oil can also be used for quick sautéing but not frying. Olive oil can be used for all three.
** Once popular, peanut oil has all but disappeared from kitchens and markets due to increasing hypersensitivity in the general public. However, it and its fellow groundnut oil Brazil nut, to which I react, are still used in commercial preparations. Read labels carefully especially on baked goods.

ALL ABOUT PEPPERS

What is a more fitting subject for Cinco de Mayo than peppers? Actually, peppers are a fascinating subject. Everyone is familiar with them. Most people even have favorite go-tos for different levels of heat mild, medium, hot, and extra hot for the brave. Yet, few are familiar with the whole category. I’ve met Latinos, and chefs who still have to check references for substitute recipe ingredients.

Peppers are native to Latin America. The Spanish and Portuguese explorers introduced pepper plants to Europe, along with tomatoes, corn and beans. They were quickly adapted by the major cuisines of the world and their popularity only increased with time. Truly international in their appeal they are now integral to dishes from every country.  All peppers are part of the genus Capsicum, which includes hot varieties, also known as chile peppers, and sweet varieties, such as bell peppers. 

In this post, I list the 20 most popular peppers, internationally, for cooking according to Epicurious, the web site for Bon Appetit magazine (https://www.epicurious.com/ingredients/20-types-of-peppers-and-their-uses-article)   To quote from Epicurious: “No matter what pepper you choose, you’ll reap powerful health benefits thanks to peppers’ unique nutritional profiles. Not only are peppers are a good source of vitamins A, C, and E, they’re also rich in folate and potassium, low in sodium, low in carbohydrates, and high in minerals. Because they contain capsaicin, they have been studied for their ability to stimulate circulation and as a way to medicate arthritis”.

I’m including their links to recipes for each pepper under its description should you want to see an illustration of the use or try one. If you are unable to find fresh or dried chiles in your local grocery store, try an online source. 

I’ve altered Epicurious’ listing and arranged them according to their Scoville scores. The heat of a pepper is measured using Scoville units. The Scoville Scale is a good indicator of how hot a chile is, ranging from 0 as in bell peppers all the way to 1,000,000 + as in the Ghost Pepper but know that the heat can vary according to climate and vegetation. Most dried chiles you will encounter fall somewhere in the middle but can still pack a punch. Also note some peppers have a wider heat range. The infamous Scotch Bonnet‘s index can start lower than the Rocoto or the Habanero but run higher than either.

If you want the flavor without the mouth-scorching fire, remove the seeds and interior ribs from a chile before cooking. It’s also a good idea to have dairy products, such as milk or yogurt, on hand—they contain casein, which helps neutralize capsaicin, the chemical that gives chiles their heat. Always protect your skin by wearing gloves and never touch your eyes when handling peppers.

THE LIST

1. Bell Pepper

Alternate Names: Green pepper, red pepper, sweet bell pepper, capsicum

Characteristics: Relatively large in size, the bell-shaped pepper in its immature state is green with a slightly bitter flavor. As it matures, it turns bright red and becomes sweeter. You can also find yellow, orange, white, pink, and even purple varieties. With their high water content, bell peppers will add moisture to any dish. They’re also great for adding color.

Scoville heat units: 0

Recipes to Try:

Bell Pepper and Goat Cheese Strata

Piquant Bell Peppers

Parmesan Peppers

2. Basque Fryer

Alternate Names: Doux long des Landes, doux de Landes and piment basque

Characteristics: Located on the border of France and Spain, the Basque region boasts six official types of peppers. The most popular type is the Basque Fryer pepper, also known as the doux de Landes, meaning “sweet from Landes.” (Landes is located in southwest France). As the name suggests, the pepper is sweet. The Basque fryer is can be eaten raw, roasted or sautéed.

Scoville heat units: 0

3. Banana Pepper

Alternate Names: Yellow wax pepper and banana chili

Characteristics: This mild yet tangy pepper adds a kick to pizza or sandwiches. This pepper usually takes on a bright yellow hue as it ripens, but occasionally grows to be red, orange or green instead.

Scoville heat units: 0–500

Recipes to try:

Mexican-style Cream of Spinach

Green Melon, Cubanelle Peppers and Ricotta Salata

4. Shishito

Characteristics: Harvested while still green, these thin-walled peppers can be pan-seared and eaten on their own. They can also be added to pizza or to flavor dishes. The riper the shishito, the spicier the pepper.

Scoville heat units: 50 to 200

Recipes to try:

Sautéed Shishito Peppers

Shishito Pepper Potato Hash with Fried Eggs

Grilled Chicken Wings with Shishito Peppers and Herbs

5. Cherry Pepper

Alternate names: Pimiento and pimento

Characteristics: This lovely pepper is sweet on the outside and the inside. Bright red and shaped like a heart, this large pepper barely registers on the Scoville scale, but makes up for its lack of spice with a sweet, succulent flavor. You’ll commonly find cherry peppers chopped and stuffed into green olives, in pimento loaves and pimento cheese.

Scoville heat units: 500

Recipes to try:

Beef Tartare with Cherry Peppers

Spicy and Greasy Rhode Island Calamari

Pork Chops Scarpariello

6. Piquillo

Alternate Names: Little beak pepper

Characteristics: This mild, sweet pepper hails from northern Spain and features a smokey, tart flavor that’s ideal for sandwiches and sauces, and also thrives as a compliment to meat and cheese. You’ll often find them jarred in your grocer’s gourmet section. As they mature, they grow from green to red. They measure three to four inches long and are slightly curved at the end, resembling a little beak.

Scoville heat units: 500 to 1,000

Recipes to try:

Crunchy Eggs with Piquillo Peppers

Grilled Portobello Burgers with Piquillo Pepper Aïoli and Watercress

Piquillo Pepper and Sardine Tartines

7. Anaheim Pepper

Alternate Names: California green chile, chile verde, New Mexican chile

Characteristics: This long pepper is relatively mild and very versatile. When mature, the Anaheim turns deep red and are referred to a chile Colorado or California red chile. Anaheims are popular in salsas and dishes from the American Southwest.

Scoville heat units: 500 to 2,500

Recipes to try:

Anaheim Chile Salsa Verde

Chicken Chili Verde

Chile Verde Hummus

8. Padrón Peppers

Characteristics: Padrón peppers are typically sweet and mild, but occasionally, a this pepper packs quite a bit of spice. The eponymous pepper grows in Padrón in northwestern Spain, and is often served, fried, as a tapa. They can also be served grilled.

Scoville heat units: 500 – 2,500

Recipes to try:

Blistered Padrón Peppers

Charred Padrón Chiles and Squid Salad

Padrón Peppers Stuffed with Tetilla Cheese

9. Poblano Pepper

Alternate Name: Ancho

Characteristics: Somewhat large and heart-shaped, the poblano is common in Mexican dishes such as chiles rellenos. Are poblano peppers spicy? Yes, but only mildly spicy. At maturity, the poblano turns dark red-brown and can be dried, at which point it’s referred to as an ancho or mulato. Anchos have a rich, raisin-like sweetness. The high yield of flesh to skin makes anchos great for sauces.

Scoville heat units: 1,000 to 2,000

Recipes to try:

Poblano and Mushroom Tacos

Potato- and Chorizo-Stuffed Ancho Chiles

Cumin and Ancho Chicken

10. Chilaca

Alternate Names: Pasilla and chile negro

Characteristics: Black and wrinkly, chilacas boast a prune-like flavor with a hint a hint of licorice. “Chilaca” is an Aztec term meaning old or gray-haired, which is fitting given the pepper’s wrinkly appearance. When dried, the chilaca is called a pasilla or chile negro, and is toasted or soaked and blended into sauces, often combined with fruit.

Scoville heat units: 1,500 to 2,500

Recipes to Try:

Ancho Pasilla Sauce

Turkey Leg Confit Tacos with Pasilla Purée and Pickled Peach Salsa

Mussels in Pasilla Broth with Corn, Jícama, and Cilantro

11. Mirasol Chili

Alternate Names: Guajillo

Characteristics: Bright red and pointed upward, these peppers grow toward the sun, which is why they were given the name mirasol (which means “looking at the sun” in Spanish). In their dried form, they are called guajillo. Guajillo are fruity, tangy, and mildly acidic, and are a common ingredient in traditional al pastor. They are also one of the main chilis used in mole sauce.

Scoville Heat Units: 2,500 to 5,000

Recipes to Try:

Toasted Guajillo Chile Salsa

Tacos Al Pastor

Shredded Beef in Guajillo Sauce

12. Jalapeño Pepper

Alternate Names: Chipotle

Scoville heat units: 3,500 to 8,000

Characteristics: This Mexican pepper is typically plucked from the vine while still green. If allowed to ripen more, they will turn red and take on a slightly fruity flavored. Jalapeños are a tasty ingredient commonly used to in salsa and sauces. When dried, a jalapeño is called a chipotle. Smoke-dried chipotles come in two varieties: meco (mellow) and moritas (spicier). Smoky, woodsy, and spicy, chipotles are the perfect ingredient for salsas, sauces, escabeche, and adobo.

Recipes to try:

Jalapeño Poppers with Smoked Gouda

Plantain-Stuffed Chipotle Chiles

Jalapeño Cheeseburgers with Bacon and Grilled Onions

13. Serrano Pepper

Characteristics: Just a couple of inches long, with a tapered end, this small pepper packs quite a bit of heat. Beware: The smaller the pepper, the hotter it is. When ripe, serranos are red or yellowish orange—they can be cooked in both their ripe and unripe states. Serranos are common in Mexican and Thai cooking.

Scoville heat units: 6,000 to 23,000

Recipes to try:

Tomatillo Salsa with Serranos

Serrano Ham and Swiss Cheese Frittata

Serrano Chips with Quince Preserves and Manchego

14. Cayenne Pepper

Alternate Names: Finger chile, Ginnie pepper, and bird pepper

Characteristics: Slender and tapered, this chile is probably most familiar in its dried, ground form—the powder known as cayenne pepper. Ground cayenne pepper is a main ingredient in the chili powder that flavors Tex-Mex dishes such as chili con carne. It’s one of the spiciest types of peppers!

Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 50,000

Recipes to try:

Fettuccine with Sweet Pepper-Cayenne Sauce

Roasted Red Pepper Harissa

Sweet-and-Spicy Bacon

15. Tabasco Pepper

Characteristics: Best known for the sauce that bares its name, this pepper grows throughout the world. At maturity, the pepper measures one to two inches and is bright red. To create the famous tabasco sauce, the pepper is smashed and combined with salt and vinegar, which tempers the pepper’s heat (the Scoville rating of tabasco sauce is 2,500 to 5,000 — a mere fraction of its rating as a pepper).

Scoville heat units: 30,000 to 60,000

Recipes to try:

Crispy Chicken Sandwich with Buttermilk Slaw and Herbed Mayo

Island Pork Tenderloin Salad

Bloody Mary

16. Piri Piri

Alternate Names: Peri peri, African bird’s-eye pepper and African red devil pepper

Characteristics: When Portuguese sailors made port of call in what’s now South Africa and Mozambique, they brought ashore little chile peppers called bird’s eyes, or peri-peri in Swahili. The name also came to refer to the piquant sauce made from these chiles, as well as to the Portuguese-African method of cooking prawns, chicken, or anything else in this sauce. Nando’s bottled version is a mainstay for those who don’t want to make it from scratch. Though it’s a relatively small pepper, growing only one to two inches, it packs quite a punch.

Scoville Heat Units: 50,000 to 175,000

Recipes to Try:

Piri-Piri Chicken

Prawns Peri-Peri

17. Scotch Bonnet

Alternate Names: Bonney peppers, ball of fire peppers, cachucha and Caribbean red peppers

Characteristics: This spicy pepper is called a scotch bonnet thanks to its resemblance to the caps men wear in Scotland (tam o’ shanter hats, to be precise). It’s the hottest pepper in the Caribbean and used to flavor all sorts of island dishes, including jerk chicken. Though the pepper is most often spicy, you will occasionally find a sweet variety, called cachucha.

Scoville heat units: 80,000–400,000

Recipes to try:

Grilled Jerk Chicken with Scotch Bonnet Sauce and Mango Chutney

Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce

Scotch Bonnet Tomato Salsa

18. Rocoto Pepper

Alternate names: Ají rocoto, hairy pepper and locoto

Characteristics: This South American pepper looks like a miniature bell pepper, and, like a bell pepper, can come in shades of orange, yelllow and red. The hottest rocotos are typically yellow, but red rocotos are the most common. Inside, the pepper has unique black seeds. It’s sometimes referred to as the hairy pepper thanks to its furry leaves. Rocoto have a crisp and fruity flavor, and are commonly used in salsa.

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Scoville heat units: 100,000 to 250,000

Recipe to try:

Escolar Fish with Mango and Shrimp Ravioli

Solterito De Quinua

19. Habañero Pepper

Characteristics: Small and bulbous, this chile, in the same family as the Scotch bonnet, is one of the hottest on the Scoville scale. If you can get past the heat, habañeros also have a fruity flavor. They’re popular on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula and in the Caribbean, where they’re used to make hot sauces.

Scoville heat units: 150,000 to 350,000

Recipes to try:

Tamarind-Glazed Black Cod with Habañero Orange Salsa

Habañero Pickled Peaches

Habañero-Marinated Pork Chops With Mustard Greens Slaw

20. Ghost Pepper

Alternate names: Bhut naga jolokia, bhut jolokia, naga jolokia, ghost chili, U-morok, ghost jolokia and red naga

Characteristics: Sometimes called Bhut Naga Jolokia (bhut means ghost, naga means snake, and jolokia is chile), the name alone sounds daunting. This chile has a venomous bite! The ghost pepper hails from Northeastern India and is also cultivated in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. So how hot is this hair raiser? With more than 1 million Scoville units, it’s approximately half as hot as the pepper spray used by law enforcement but 100 times hotter than a jalapeño. One of the hottest (edible) peppers in the world, ghost peppers are used — sparingly — in chutney and curry.

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Scoville heat units: 1,000,000+

Recipe to try:

Hothouse Extra Hot Fried Chicken

Ghost Chili Korma

PART II PAN SAUCES- 101

In my book Savvy Sauces and Gravies I list the 8 classic French sauces, starting with the 5 famous ‘Mother Sauces’, Béchamel (or classic White Sauce), Sauce Volute, Hollandaise,Demi-Glace, Sauce de Tomate, Mayonnaise, Oil and Vinegar and Sauces au Buerre(Butter Sauces). I explore all of them; give directions how to make them and explain that ingredient variations and/or additions, result in a second generation of sauces, some such as Marsala and Picatta have become standards in their own right. In the same way third, fourth and more generates of sauces are created.

These later generations of sauce offspring, including pan sauces, form a large and varied category with some of the creations recorded for duplication, bringing fame to chefs for their inspirations. Perhaps best known is Caesar Cardini who patented his salad dressing. Countless more, made every day, are momentary inspirations of chefs, cooks and family meal providers, problem solving or menu perking, their recipes equally fleeting.

Pan sauces are made in the pan used to sauté meats or vegetables. After cooking, little leftover particles, called the fond, are stuck to the pan’s bottom, and they, plus any residual cooking fluids transform into a smooth sauce by a process called deglazing. Deglazing is adding liquid, such as stock or wine, to a pan to loosen and dissolve the fond, which becomes the source of the major flavor for the sauce. In the case of non-stick pans, there will still be a bit of fond. To start a pan sauce, you will need to melt a pat of butter or add bit of oil to gather it.

So according to definition, pan sauces are descendants, principally, of the Demi-Glace and Au Buerre sauces. They are based on and fundamentally flavored by reduction from a food sautéed in butter or a similar substance, margarine or oil for example. The operative word here is ‘sautéed’ as opposed to fried. Frying foods may create a fond, but never a reduction.

So let’s take a closer look at these two founding, classic sauces. The full details are in Savvy Sauces and Gravies. These are ‘Cliff Notes’ on making pan sauces.

The Demi-Glace is the mother of all brown sauces.  It takes more time than the light sauces and requires more ingredients, but it’s simple to make and it freezes well to make other sauces on demand. The recipe calls for 2 onions and 2 carrots diced and in equal amounts, sautéed in ¼ lb. butter over low heat Periguex (Truffle) for about 30 mins, adding 1 Tbs. sugar for the last 10 mins. to caramelize the mix. Stir in 3 Tbs. flour and cook for 3 mins. until it begins to brown, then add: 3 cups stock: 2 cloves minced garlic, Bouquet Garni, 1 Tbs. tomato paste, pinch of salt, dash of pepper  and simmer for 1 hr. Strain into a clean pan, add 1 Tbs. Cognac and 1 Tbs. Madeira and brown food coloring if needed.  If freezing, omit the Cognac and Madeira until ready to use. 

Convenient commercial renditions of Demi-Glace reductions are bouillon, consommé and, for best results, many jarred products in a wide variety of price and quality. They’re great time savers making pan sauces a cinch for the busy cook, needing just to be dissolved, in directed amount, in the pan liquid.
1) In the first generation of offspring, the special ingredients for the specific dish are cooked in wine or vinegar and then add the master sauce. Special finishing ingredients, if required, are added later. Examples: Sauces Chateaubriand, Diablo and Diane.
2) In the second generation the special ingredients are cooked first in butter then reduced in wine or vinegar before adding the finished mother sauce. Examples: Chasseur, Duxelles, and Lyonnaise
3) In the third generation the special ingredients are simply added to the diluted master sauce. Examples: Madiera and Periguex (Truffle.) 
4)In successive generations of true Pan Sauces, after the pan is de-glazed, the special ingredients and then proper amount of master sauce reduction are dissolved in the pan fluid, seasonings added, stirred well and often a sliver of butter melted to give the sauce a silky fins

Sauces au Buerre or Butter Sauces are a huge category encompassing both cold and hot sauces. Cold butter sauces are called “Compounds.” Since almost anything can be added to butter to make a sauce, the possibilities are endless. Traditionally butter sauces, both hot and cold, were served only with hot foods, but compounds have become increasingly popular as spreads for canapés, sandwiches and other cold dishes which widened the field even further. The traditional add-ins  are anchovy paste, garlic, mashed capers, citrus zest and/or juice, garlic, herbs, toasted spices and nuts. 

We make both compounds and pan sauces up on the spur of the moment to fit what we’re cooking. So the best way to handle such an increasingly large, individualized subject is to establish the basics and let you experiment on your own. Compounds only connection with pan sauces is if they are used to sauté the main ingredients or added as a flavor additive and texture smother at the end. Therefore, in discussing pan sauces, the term ‘butter’ will include any compounds.

Always clarify the butter for hot Butter Sauces or the impurities will burn. Hot Butter Sauces are to be served with hot foods or they will unappetizingly congeal and they must be finished just before serving. However the butter can be clarified and reheated as the sauce is made. Hot butter sauces are popular with seafood, Brown butter sauces are used in recipes and as toppings for desserts and baked goods like pancakes. Hollandaise is a second generation butter sauce.

Pan sauces aren’t so fussy, although clarified butter is becoming popular. It’s healthier and gives the sautéed food a cleaner taste. Once the sautéing is over, the cooked food is removed and the pan is deglazed with broth, juice, wine, even cream. Be sure to use heavy cream or half and half, light cream and milk curdle. In the case of non-stick pans, it’s still advisable to start the deglazing by melting a pat of butter or adding a tablespoon of oil to gather the fond.

After deglazing, a flavorful reduction is dissolved in the liquid, a form of demi-glace for meats and vegetables often jelly for fruit, to give the sauce body and depth. Once the sauce is liquid, the finishing seasonings are added, the major food is returned to the pan and everything is heated through for serving. Vola! A Pan Sauce is born!

Once the hallmark of fine dining in restaurants, where dishes with elaborate, accented names were prepared to order at tableside, sauces have undergone a revolutionary transformation since the 1950s.They have gone from being ‘exclusive’ to  being the busy cooks best friend in getting dinner on fast. Partly this is due to our changed lifestyle. Most people work away from home; domestic kitchen help is extinct, eating nutritionally has become important and our culinary tastes have become far more sophisticated and international. We want lighter dishes, cooked in more interesting ways, in less time with less effort and prep.

Keeping pace with this change has been one in the butchering industry. Gone is the dependence on red meats and the larger cuts, the roasts, and veal has completely disappeared, not just from the markets but from restaurant menus as well. However, there are many popular veal dishes that people still wanted Marsala and Picatta to name two. Poultry, presented skinless and boneless, became a happy stand-in. Our meat counters are filled with chops, ‘tenders’ and a new selection of scaloppini unknown before, chicken, turkey and pork, all light, quick cooking cuts.

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In fact pork has become the third meat in the now popular meat trinity. “The other white meat.”appears in new, versatile cuts, vying for menu space modeling a variety of sauces; some, again, like Marsala and Paprika, associated with veal, but others like Normandy, from its own past, in updated renditions. Pork, however, is a problem for some people with dietary or medical restrictions. Although chicken provides a good substitute for pork in many dishes, some recipes are better made with turkey. Turkey with its slightly deeper flavor and affinity for many of the same herbs as pork, such as thyme and sage, can be a mirror replacement.

The revolution in butchering, which made this interchange of meats possible is phenomenal.  Chicken no longer comes in whole breasts or breast quarters with lots of bones. Pork is now offered in scaloppini style cutlets and 1-2 lb. fillet loins.  Most amazing of all is what’s being done with turkey. There are boneless breasts, cutlets, scaloppini, and fillet loins, not to forget ground. Turkey can really be used for anything that pork or veal is and some of beef as well.

The adaptability of these meats to sauces is due to their flavors, though unique to each, being, generally, mild enough to work well with complimentary or contrasting additions. Their popularity is due to the large variety of taste combinations they accept, but their practicality is two- fold. First, the new butchering style insures there will be a cut to fit your budget, and second, though ideally made from scratch in conjunction with a sauce, leftovers of these meats are excellent recycled in sauce.

Once you’ve begun to work with pan sauces, you take any recipes you come across in stride and find you develop a feeling what works and what doesn’t. You create your own formula and change it up or down as the occasion demands. It’s second nature, no sweat, a convenient tool, shortcut to getting a meal on the table. Soon you’ll be using cream to make a quick white sauce and finishing with sour cream to duplicate Eastern European dishes. Just remember, sour cream, and milk products, other than heavy cream and Half and Half curdle when boiled. 

Also don’t confuse white pan sauces with the creamy, labor intensive gourmet creations of classic haut cuisine. These are the working crew waiting to help at the end of the day. These are the guys who allow you to relax when asked;” What’s for dinner?” and even let you fit the flavor to the mood of the moment.

Pan sauces are more fluid by nature, but if the sauce seems too thin, ½ tsp. of cornstarch dissolved in 1 Tbs. of the chosen liquid can be added. Stir until desired thickness is reached and proceed as directed. Flour doesn’t work as well. It doesn’t dissolve as completely and often results in a lumpy sauce.

I’m always on the lookout for ways to make cooking less labor intensive. Professionally, it’s expedient because there are time limits, and, personally, I like a relaxed approach. On a normal night, I allow 1 hour from prep to table for dinner, including time to change, or do chores or enjoy a glass of wine, easily done on a night when I’ve planned using a version of a sauce I’ve devised. It’s a bit unorthodox, but it works for me, and, perhaps, will for you as well.

BASIC RECIPE FOR SAUCE- STEP  ONE–2 SERVINGS
1 Tbs. butter—even for non-stick pans because only butter browns well
1 Tbs. canola oil-together with the butter it absorbs the essence of the meat and gives the sauce a base
1 Tbs. white wine or water – for deglazing
Garlic, chopped, powdered or fresh , if using, in stated amount or to taste
½ cup white wine, broth or juice—see note below*
½ tsp, bouillon, beef, chicken, vegetable or ham as suits recipe=Demi-Glace
2 portions of chosen meat-chops, cutlets etc.
Melt butter in pan over medium-high heat and brown meat, adding oil as needed to prevent sticking. Remove meat to a plate, turn heat down to medium and add onions to pan with any remaining oil. Sauté, stirring, until onions are soft, about 3 mins, adding garlic, if using, for last 30 secs.  Use the 1 Tbs. wine or water to partially deglaze and prevent sticking or burning. Remove pan from heat, add the ½ cup liquid and bouillon and completely deglaze.
*I prefer using white wine in making sauces, because it adds a depth of flavor with no alcoholic taste. Broth is often too weak, and juice contains sugar which may burn, or change the overall flavor. If using leftovers, skip the step with the butter and start with sautéing the onion in the oil. The meat will be added after deglazing. 

Either way this is a generic sauce base and you are free to choose the additional flavoring ingredients you want. When confronted with roast leftovers, I often make double this base, refrigerate half and make two completely different types of entrees, to avoid boredom.

STEP TWO—OPTIONS UNLIMITED
No matter what flavor sauce you choose, you will need:
At least 1/4 cup more liquid
Possibly 1 tsp. cornstarch
Probably 1 or 2 more flavor elements
What you want to avoid is a crammed ingredient list, especially if you will want to duplicate the sauce in the future.
Re-heat the meat in the sauce base over medium, then add options. If using leftovers, cook only until sauce is finished and meat is heated through depending on thickness and cut; usually, about 8 mins. Then add finishing flavor ingredients.

Here’s a bonus recipe to give you some ideas to start you on your way exploring the wide, wide world of sauces and their multiple uses.

 FRUIT SAUCES- For those who love the local produce, this a great way to use the bruised or slightly older fruits. It tastes fresher than commercial products, but lasts only about a week chilled.
1 pint of berries, cut if large, or peeled, sliced stone fruit (thick Slurry)
2 1/4 cups water- divided
Sweetener of choice to taste—this is a great recipe for diabetics!
Herbs-mint, lemon balm etc. to taste –optional
1 ½ Tbs. cornstarch
Dissolve the cornstarch in ¼ cup water. Simmer the fruit until soft in 2 cups water with the sweetener.  Add the herbs if using and then the cornstarch. Cook an additional 3 mins until sauce is thick. Use at once or store chilled in covered containers; Can be used as jam, as syrup for pancakes etc. or as a sauce.