February Thrifty - Week 3 #4 ~ Sauces and Salsa

Sauces & Salsa, published in 2004. Over 175 recipes and cooking ideas revolving around sauces for every cooking occasion.The book starts out with general information ~ ingredients for sauces with tips on how to store and select flour, fats, butter/spreads, oils, etc. There is also advice on common sauces: hot pepper, mustard, pesto, oyster sauce, shoyu, vinegar, coconut milk/cream, herbs & spices, extracts & flower waters, plus utilizing dairy and eggs, and a bit of useful knowledge on various equipments and utensils. The basic recipes appear first ~ stocks made from beef, fish, chicken and veggies ~ followed by a step by step guide on making a bouquet garni, a flour based roux (or an egg variation) and troubleshooting tips. There are more basic recipes for gravy, salsa, tomato sauce, savory butters, sweet or savory egg sauces, marinades & dressings, plus a few presentation ideas for dessert sauces.

The second chapter delves into more Classic Sauces with recipes for Bechamel, lemon with tarragon, espagnole sauce, chasseur (mushroom & wine), Hollandaise, pesto, a rich tomato, plus one or two BBQ sauces, applesauce, mint sauce, cranberry sauce and horseradish.

In chapter three, Sauces for Pasta Dishes are discussed along with recipes for pasta dough, carbonara with spaghetti, an Italian plum tomato ravioli,, cannoli with 2 sauces options, Gorgonzola with gnocchi, spinach with shells, shrimp with Vodka, smoke salmon & cream with Penne, plus a few familiar classics like clam and tomato sauce  or butter & herb. Chapter four is all about Sauces for Meat Dishes including an avocado with lemon chicken,  Marsala turkey, chili nectarine relish & pork chops, an orange sage sauce for pork and a pot roast with gravy.

Moving along, the next chapter is loaded with Sauces for Fish ~ parsley, orange & caper, dill & mustard, orange butter sauce, the ever popular lemon & chive and a Tahini for baked fish. Not to fear there are sauces for Vegetarian dishes featuring citrus, mustard, wild mushrooms and peanuts as ingredients.

For the Salsa chapter - there are numerous recipes including Verde, pesto, chile & coconut, a fiery citrus, plantain, corn, mixed melons and one I have actually eaten before - mango and red onion. Dips range from basil & lemon mayo, blue cheese (and variations), thousand island, guacamole, eggplant, hummus, satay and tzatziki. Nearing the final stretch are Relish & Chutneys made from nectarines, cranberries & orange, papaya & lemon, plus a few novelty dishes ~ spicy corn, bloody Marys and a Christmas chutney made with mango, pineapple and mint.

Dressing and Marinades is filled with a yummy recipe for a lime, avocado & cilantro chicken salad, plus marinades galore: ginger & lime, summer herb, spicy yogurt,  and for lamb a choice between lavender balsamic or lemon and rosemary. Finally we arrive at the last chapter - Sauces for Sweet Dishes with a butterscotch for waffles, followed by hot plum, toffee, custards, a few fruit sauces (banana, berry mix, etc), Mexican hot fudge, sabayon, chocolate (of course!) and maple yogurt.