Condiments Dressing Seasonings

My collection of creative, quick, & easy, Condiments, sauces, dressings, and seasoning recipes.

Creamy Roasted Jalapeno Lime Salsa

Delicious on tacos, grilled fish, roasted chicken and pan fried potatoes

Ingredients:

1 cup olive oil
3 large, fresh jalapeño chiles, stemmed and cut in half lengthwise
6 to 8 garlic cloves, peeled
A small handful of cilantro and stems
Salt & Pepper to taste
(Optional) 1 tbsp of honey to balance the heat of the peppers and tang of the lime
The juice of half of a large lime

Execution:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Toss jalapenos and garlic in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, then sprinkle a little salt/pepper, and place in a baking dish
Place in the oven to roast, turning everything regularly until richly browned.
DO NOT BURN THE GARLIC
Remove from the heat and cool completely (if the chiles and garlic aren’t cool, the sauce will break).
Place the cooled chiles, garlic and oil into a blender or food processor. Add the cilantro, then cover and turn on to medium speed.
While the blender is running, remove the cap in the middle of the lid and slowly pour in the olive oil.
Blend until the salsa is smooth.
Taste and add salt/pepper and lime to taste.
Is it as you like? Adjust if necessary.
Pulse to blend the salt/pepper and lime and you’re ready to serve.

Sesame Garlic Ginger Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 cup of olive or canola oil
4 Tbsp sesame oil
3 Tbsp rice vinegar
1 Tbsp lime juice
2 Tbsp low sodium soy sauce
1 garlic clove, finely minced mashed or puréed
1 Tsp finely minced ginger
1 Tsp brown sugar, coconut sugar, or agave nectar
1 Tbsp toasted sesame seed

Execution:

Place all ingredients in a mason jar, pop the lid on and shake vigorously.
Or add everything to a blender except the oil and turn on low, then slowly add the oil until everything is emulsified and smooth.
Taste and adjust seasoning
Use right away or place in the fridge for later use

Basil Pistachio Pesto

It’s July in Philadelphia and this is what I make with our fresh basil. This recipe is a little different using roasted pistachios.

Delicioso!

Ingredients:

3 cups lightly packed fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan
1/3 cup shelled roasted pistachios
3 cloves garlic
Pinch of hot pepper flakes
1 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Execution:

In a food processor or blender, pulse the basil, Parmesan, pistachios, garlic, hot pepper, salt, and black pepper together until everything is mixed and finely chopped.
While your food processor or blender still running (on medium speed), slowly drizzle in the olive oil until it is completely blended and smooth.
Serve immediately.
You can also refrigerate sealed for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Pro Tip: To avoid your pesto becoming an oily mess. This is how you must dress pasta with pesto:

Step 1: Boil pasta until al dente.
Step 2: Drain pasta and reserve some hot pasta water. Then transfer the hot pasta to a mixing or serving bowl.
Step 3: Add pesto. and toss. DO NOT PUT BACK ON THE HEAT!
Step 4: Slowly, bit by bit, add a little hot pasta water, then a little more pesto until the pasta is fully coated, mixing to emulsify and bind the psesto to the pasta. Make it creamy.
Step 5: Eat.

Jamaican Jerk Marinade

Ingredients:

4 medium scallions, chopped
One chopped Scotch bonnet chile, jalapeno, or any hot pepper you desire, I used 2 dried red chilies
6 - 8 sprigs of fresh thyme
4 garlic cloves, chopped
1 medium nob of fresh ginger, cut into small pieces
1 tablespoon ground allspice
1 tablespoon coarsely ground pepper
3/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
Splash of soy sauce
2 oz of Dark Rum
2 tablespoons olive oil

Execution:

Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse until all ingredients are incorporated, it should be a paste
While your food processor is running, add the oil, soy sauce, and rum to loosen your mix, add more if needed.
Taste it…does it need anything? Salt? Pepper? Hot pepper? Soy sauce?
If it tastes as you like, pour some of the marinade into a large, shallow dish, add rub into your beef, chicken, fish, or pork and turn to coat.
Cover, refrigerate overnight, and save unused marinade for later.
Bring the beef, chicken, fish, or pork to room temperature before pan-searing, roasting, or grilling.
Cook to your desired temperature.
Note: When grilling, make sure you cook with indirect heat as to not burn the marinade.
All chicken MUST be cooked to 165 degrees or higher

Chilean Pebre

What is Pebre??

Pebre is a Chilean condiment made of cilantro, chopped onion, olive oil, garlic, and ground or pureed spicy aji peppers. It also may contain also chopped tomatoes.

It typically is served with bread, but I like it on meat and fish.

1 large tomato, finely chopped
1 small bunch of cilantro, leaves, and small stems finely chopped
4 large garlic cloves, minced
I red bell pepper
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 1/2 Tbsp xtra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 Tbsp spicy red chili sauce, (Olek Sambal)
1/2 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 Tbsp of fresh jalapeno
1/2 Tsp fine grain sea salt, plus additional to taste
Splash of water

Execution:

Place all of the ingredients in a stainless bowl
Add the mixture of olive oil, red wine vinegar, and a splash of water
Salt, and pepper to taste
Taste it, does it need anything? Adjust accordingly.
Pebre is typically served in traditional a clay bowl
Serve at room temperature with bread or grilled meat.

Avocado Ranch Dressing

Ingredients:

3/4 cup plain fat-free or low-fat Greek yogurt
1 Large avocado, peeled and cored
1/4 cup of 2% milk
1 tsp red wine vinegar
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 clove garlic (minced)
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 tsp fresh parsley
2 tsp chopped fresh chives
4 Tbsp olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Execution:

In a food processor or blender: Place avocado, yogurt, lemon juice, vinegar, garlic, and herbs.
Blend adding small amounts of milk until desired consistency is reached
Taste, then season with salt and pepper. Adjust as necessary. Finish by blending in olive oil.
Cover and refrigerate, can be used up to 3 days.
Can be used as a dip or dressing.

Chimichurri Sauce

Chimichurri is a delicious uncooked green sauce used both as a baste and as a table condiment for grilled meat. It originated from Argentina and Uruguay.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
4 to 6 cloves garlic ,
1 small red chili, with seeds or without, depending on how much heat you like.
3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
coarse salt and pepper, to taste

Execution:

You can prepare this sauce two different ways:
For a looser sauce:
You can finely hand chop all ingredients
Mix all ingredients together in a bowl.
Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes to release all of the flavours into the oil before using.

OR:

Put all ingredients (except the olive oil) in a blender or food processor
Pulse to get things started and slowly add the olive oil
Blend until all ingredients are incorporated
Just don’t puree the sauce, it shouldn’t look like baby food
Tate it, does it need anything? Salt? Pepper? More vinegar?
Ideally, let it sit for more than 2 hours, if time allows.

Chimichurri can be prepared in advance and refrigerated for 24 hours.
Baste on beef, poultry, seafood or vegetables while grilling and serve on the side for a dipping sauce.

Herbed Compound Butter for Poultry

Ingredients:

2 lbs of unsalted butter
3 cloves of garlic minced
2 tbsp of fresh chopped rosemary
1 tbsp of fresh chopped thyme
1 large shallot minced
1 tbsp of orange zest
salt and pepper to taste

Execution:

Place unwrapped butter in a bowl to soften at room temperature
Prep all ingredients while butter is softening
When butter is soft and able to be mixed, add all ingredients and fold together
Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary
Use this in its softened state to season your bird
Now, this is what is called compound butter.

How to season a turkey or chicken using a compound butter:

Wash your hands first!
Using your hand, gently separate the skin from the breast meat to create a pocket for the butter, on both lobes
Use a rubber spatula to place the butter under the skin
Again, gently add more butter until you have filled the pocket on both lobes of the turkey breast