I came up with this one a couple years ago, when I wanted to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, but was all out of jam. I had recently learned how to make simple syrup (boil a 1:1 ratio of water and sugar until sugar dissolves) and figured, cooking down some fruit into the… Continue reading Strawberry Sauce
Category: Sauces
Recaíto (Puerto Rican Sofrito)
This green, herbaceous cooking base is one of the most essential ingredients in Puerto Rican cuisine. It is basically sofrito without the tomato sauce and so is an excellent substitute for any recipe calling for sofrito. They are so similar that some Puerto Ricans use the words as synonyms (see Sofrito Eggs). Recaíto contains culantro… Continue reading Recaíto (Puerto Rican Sofrito)
Salsa Fresca
I don’t have a recipe for a traditional liquid salsa because I prefer the fresh taste of this simple blend of chopped vegetables. (Though I suppose all one would have to do is pulse in a food processor a couple times to turn this into a chunky sauce…? Anyway…) This salsa is spicy – I’d… Continue reading Salsa Fresca
Marinara Sauce
This basic marinara — calling for only five ingredients — is proof of how little is needed to deliver satisfying flavor. Some cooks sweeten their sauce to balance the tomatoes’ acidity, but I don’t find this hack necessary. Raw tomatoes may start out a little bitter, but that acerbity disappears all on its own if… Continue reading Marinara Sauce
Applesauce
In an effort to eat more healthfully, I’ve removed sugar from some of my recipes. This simple chunky applesauce recipe is an early success, as it rightfully makes apples the star of the dish by taking advantage of their natural sweetness. After making this dish, it always bothered me to just throw away the apple… Continue reading Applesauce
