Steak and Zhoug

I enjoy discussing homemade condiments here and I’m delighted that this month’s Tasting Jerusalem features one of my very favorites, zhoug. I’ve shared my love of zhoug before, the fiery, green herb sauce that I discovered through Bob’s host mother many years ago during my first visit to Israel. Just a bite transports me away from the winter chill here back to those hot summer days.

This versatile condiment is popular in the Middle East and a true pantry staple. A quick whirl of fresh cilantro, parsley, olive oil, garlic and chiles in the food processor is all that is needed to create zhoug. Fragrant, spicy and vibrant, it livens up any dish it graces. Especially welcome during this time of season!

We usually dollop some in chicken soup or scoop a bit onto a plate of scrambled eggs. This past weekend, though, steak was on our menu and I started thinking about chimichurri sauce, the Argentinian green sauce traditionally made with parsley, olive oil, garlic and vinegar and served with grilled meat. Why not serve zhoug with steak in a similar manner? I grabbed my bunches of herbs, smashed some garlic cloves, chopped chiles (I had red fresno chiles on hand rather than jalapenos, which added pretty little flecks of red) and glugged olive oil and soon we had steak and zhoug on the table.

I have to say, steak and zhoug is absolutely delicious! A few years ago I learned the best way to cook a steak using a combination of stovetop and oven and have been doing it this way ever since. The spicy kick of zhoug complemented the simple taste of the beef beautifully and seriously got my taste buds tingling. As I look out at our gorgeous white wonderland and watch our cute pup bounce around in the snow, I savor the spicy flavors of the Middle East and feel warm inside.

Steak and Zhoug
Steak recipe from The Week

Steaks, let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes
Kosher salt
Grapeseed oil
Zhoug to serve (recipe here)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Sprinkle a bit of kosher salt over each steak. Heat a cast iron pan large enough to hold all the steaks over high heat and let it get hot. Pour a very thin layer of grapeseed oil in the pan. Lay each steak in the pan and let sear for a minute or two. Flip the steaks and let sear for another minute.

Take the pan and place in the oven for five to six minutes, depending upon the thickness of each steak and your preference for how cooked you like them (if you use a thermometer, 115 degrees is the rare end of rare).

Remove the pan from the oven and let sit for five minutes to collect the juices. Spoon on dollops of zhoug and serve.

Plum Chutney and Moving to the Methow

We are well into August and it has been an exciting, busy month for our family. We moved! This is a recent decision, inspired by a desire for a bit of change with my older son, Sam, leaving for college. For the past two years, we’ve been coming to our little cabin in the Methow Valley for long weekends and school breaks. We love our time here and, more and more, are drawn to this stunning, rural area.

With Sam’s departure to the University of Oregon, we are in a natural period of transition and we thought this might be an ideal time to shake things up. So Bob, Isaac and I decided to reverse our Seattle-Methow Valley balance and live in our cabin full-time, with Seattle reserved for long weekends and school breaks. This lead to a flurry of activity as we rapidly shifted our lives to this magical place for the coming year and enrolled Isaac at the local high school.

We are now all tucked into our tiny house high on a hillside, surrounded by sage brush and open land. The chickens arrived last week and the move feels complete.

Our new daily life includes dirt roads, deer peeking in our windows and a chorus of coyotes and crickets at night. I’m loving every moment.

There’s a vibrant food scene here in the valley with an abundance of farms and orchards, weekly markets, a winery and a cider house. Eating and drinking local is quite delicious. At the market, plums are spilling over with their intoxicating fragrance and in various shades of red, black and even sunshine yellow. We are devouring them by the pound, enjoying their juicy goodness.

To celebrate the abundance of plums, I made chutney. Chutney is a marvelous condiment with an explosion of flavors – sweet and savory, spicy and tangy. Ginger, garlic, chili, vinegar, raisins and honey combine with the deep sweetness of plums beautifully. Quick to make, this chutney turns a rosy shade of magenta, adding a colorful splash alongside grilled fish or chicken.

I’m having fun cooking in the cabin kitchen, finding new rhythms and embracing this time. Sam and Isaac are starting their new schools soon and we are off on an adventure. As I step into this next chapter of our lives, I’m grateful for the opportunity and can’t wait to see what this year will bring.

Plum Chutney
Makes just over 2 cups

2 ½ pounds plums (any color, I used a mix of red and black), pitted and roughly chopped
¼ cup honey
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, finely chopped
1 large clove garlic, minced
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
¼ cup raisins
1 teaspoon crushed red chile pepper
3 tablespoons fresh mint, slivered

Combine all of the ingredients except the mint in a large sauce pan. Stir and bring to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 25 minutes, until syrupy and thickened. Stir often to prevent sticking or scorching and lower heat if necessary. When the chutney is cooked to your liking, remove from the heat, stir in the fresh mint and let cool. Store in the fridge for up to a month.

Nectarine and Basil Relish

A bowl of lusciously ripe nectarines sits on my picnic table, totally irresistible to me. I bite into one, juice dribbling down my arm, and it is pure heaven. Oh summer, how I do love you.

When I’m not devouring these beauties by the pound, I’m slicing them for pies and cobblers and dreaming of new ways to enjoy them, which led to this simple, more savory dish.

Not quite salsa and not quite salad, I landed upon relish as a way to describe it. Sweetly scented nectarines are sliced and gently mixed with crisp red peppers, red onion and bright basil. A zesty, citrusy dressing rounds out the flavors nicely.

Soft and crunchy and full of juicy color! This is a quick one to prepare and enjoy when gathered with friends. Whether served alongside grilled chicken or perhaps a cheese platter, this pretty relish celebrates some splendid tastes of summer.

Nectarine and Basil Relish
Serves 4

3 ripe nectarines (about 1 pound or so), pitted and sliced into eighths
1/2 red onion, diced
1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced thinly
1/2 red pepper, diced
1 lime, zested and juiced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt to taste

Place the nectarines, red onion, basil and red pepper in a medium sized serving bowl. Whisk together the lime zest and juice, garlic, olive oil and vinegar. Drizzle over the nectarine mixture and gently stir. Salt to taste and chill for about an hour before serving.

Blackberry Barbecue Sauce

Ripe and plentiful! These words swirl in my head with the abundance of mid-summer’s bounty and I am almost giddy as I stuff my basket at the markets. Last week I just couldn’t resist a flat of blackberries.

We are living outdoors every moment possible, savoring what is truly the most glorious summer Seattle has experienced in many, many years. That means a long, delicious barbecue season, and since I’m always up for making condiments (I shared my love of homemade condiments here) I decided to get creative and try my hand at a new barbecue sauce using those luscious blackberries.

Fresh blackberries are simmered with a bright splash of cider vinegar, a squeeze of ketchup, some minced garlic and ginger, and a kiss of honey to round it out. At the last minute, I threw in a few grinds of black pepper and a couple shakes of crushed red chile peppers to pump up the spice.

Yes, this is a bold sauce! Vivid violet and viscous, it does indeed have a warm kick which is tempered a bit when spread on chicken or beef before grilling. If your blackberry bushes are bursting, this is a wonderful, savory way to cook with these little gems. Speaking of blackberry bushes, we heard a marvelous bluegrass band play on July 4th called the Blackberry Bushes Stringband. If you’re in the Northwest, I recommend seeing them.

And I have another recommendation for you ... one I’m super excited about! My new favorite cooking show is Kitchen Circus, and it was just released in its entirety on July 16th. Chef Thierry Rautureau, locally nicknamed The Chef in the Hat, is a Seattle celebrity and this show features home cooks competing together in his restaurant kitchen. My lovely friend, Erina, of The Attainable Gourmet is one of the contestants, too! I had the pleasure of seeing some sneak peeks and this is one fun, exciting show. I hope you check it out!

Blackberry Barbecue Sauce
Makes 1 cup

2 cups (10 ounces) fresh blackberries
1/4 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons honey
1 heaping tablespoon fresh ginger, minced
A few grinds of black pepper
A few shakes of crushed red chile peppers (optional)

Combine all the ingredients in medium-sized sauce pan, stir and bring to a boil. Stir and lower the heat to a simmer. Let the sauce simmer for about 15 minutes, gently crushing the berries with the back of a wooden spoon and stirring to make sure it doesn’t stick. When the mixture has thickened, remove from the heat and let cool. The sauce will keep in a covered jar in the fridge for 2 weeks. Brush it on chicken or beef before grilling. Reserve some additional sauce to brush on just before serving, if desired.

Fiery Jalapeno Sauce

School is out, our neighborhood berry stand is open, the ice cream truck is making its rounds and the sun is shining. We’ve been enjoying graduation, Father’s Day, wedding anniversary and birthday festivities during this past week – so much to celebrate! Sam’s high school graduation ceremony was truly wonderful. I was filled with pride (and a few tears) as the music began and the students filed into the stadium. What an incredible Class of 2013! And now, on to more summer ...

With warmer weather here, we are grilling and eating more salads. A marvelous condiment that appears often on our table and barbecue is this jalapeno sauce. Our family loves heat and spice, so when our friend Alison first made this fiery sauce for us we quickly devoured it.

I’m always a fan of chiles and vinegar together (homemade sriracha is another staple of ours). Alison uses balsamic vinegar in this sauce, and I think it is a brilliant addition. Fresh jalapenos, garlic, olive oil, shallots and balsamic vinegar are blended to create a quick sauce that packs a wollop of flavor.

This jalapeno sauce is an easy way to liven up a dish. I’ve been stirring it in to salad dressings and jazzing up grains with it. Definitely a favorite around here! With grilling season upon us, it makes a terrific marinade, too. Over Father’s Day weekend, we slathered boneless chicken thighs with this green hot sauce and barbecued. It was simply fantastic!

Happy summer to you!

Fiery Jalapeno Sauce
Makes 2 cups
Inspired by Alison Philbin of Mt. Gardner Inn

1 pound fresh jalapenos, roughly chopped and including the seeds (be careful when handling the chiles  - wear gloves or wash your hands well after chopping)
1 large clove of garlic
1 medium shallot, roughly chopped
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/8 cup olive oil

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until a smooth sauce is formed. Store in a covered jar in the fridge. It will keep for at least a month.

Sesame Salad

My older son is graduating from high school this week and I am on a roller coaster of emotions. I'm savoring every moment Sam’s home before he leaves for college. I want to hold on and at the same time let go so he can flourish and grow in new, exciting ways. I find myself swallowing a lump in my throat quite often these days! Time is moving quickly ... how did I get to this point in parenting so quickly? I have truly loved every stage and look forward to this next chapter.

In the meantime (and putting me further out of sorts!), I haven’t been cooking much in June yet due to the whirlwind of end-of-school events, meetings and graduation activities. Happily, though, Isaac and I stopped at the farmer’s market over the weekend and it was bursting with flowers and berries and garlic scapes and so much more.

Isaac lugged home jugs of ginger beer for me while my bag overflowed with gorgeous lettuce, stunning flowers and the biggest radishes I’ve ever seen.

A lovely salad that we all enjoy is one our friend Debbie makes. I had this salad in mind when I picked up a head of red leaf lettuce at the market. A vinaigrette made with soy sauce, red wine vinegar, Dijon, garlic and olive oil is tossed with toasted sesame seeds and leafy greens. This pantry salad comes together quickly. The umami-rich dressing coats the lettuce leaves lightly, allowing the sesame seeds to cling and add warm, toasty flavor.

Simple and flavorful, I’ll be tossing up this salad as we enjoy the graduation festivities and sharing time together, gathered around the table celebrating.

Sesame Vinaigrette and Salad
Makes 3/4 cup vinaigrette
Recipe from Debbie Lawson

1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
1/2 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari sauce
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon sugar (I use coconut sugar)
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
A head of red leaf lettuce

In a small skillet, heat the sesame seeds over low heat to toast them. Stir and watch carefully so they don’t burn. When most have begun to brown remove from the heat and set aside to cool. I often make more to keep on hand in a jar.

In a jar, combine the rest of the ingredients, cover and shake until well mixed. The vinaigrette can be made ahead and kept in the fridge. Give it a good shake before using.

Tear the lettuce up into a serving bowl. Gently toss with enough dressing to coat lightly. Sprinkle in the seeds and mix so the seeds cling to the lettuce leaves. Any leftover vinaigrette can be stored in the fridge for a week.

Homemade Sriracha

A couple of years ago I got hooked on homemade sriracha. I had discovered a recipe on Food52 and made it immediately. Upon tasting the homemade sauce, my family and I declared it superior to the store-bought sriracha which we immediately tossed out in favor of our new favorite. This experience opened my eyes to the world of homemade condiments, and sriracha became my gateway condiment, if you will.

Here at Blue Kale Road, I love telling you about new creations as well as family recipes, and sriracha has become a family recipe. It is one of those repertoire recipes, one without which my boys will not leave home. We are never without a jar in the fridge, and I can’t begin to tell you all the times we have dolloped and slathered this fiery red sauce.

I’ve seen quite a few variations of sriracha made in home kitchens, some are cooked, others fresh, some have fish sauce, while others have tomatoes. But they all share chiles, vinegar, garlic, salt and a sweetener, and I have stuck with these basics. I have stayed close to the original recipe I first discovered, making only a few little tweaks. After a whirl in the blender, the combination of red fresno chiles and garlic creates a sauce with heat and spice, balanced with bright flavor from apple cider vinegar and a touch of honey sweetness (which I used in place of the original white vinegar and brown sugar). I truly can’t get enough of this stuff.

The clean, fresh, vibrant flavors will make your taste buds sing, and it packs a punch! Mix a dab with creamy egg yolks for a twist on deviled eggs, stir a bit into mayo for a zesty sandwich spread or quick dip, or simply dollop away on eggs, rice or anything you’d like to jazz up.  Just be prepared to keep fresno chiles on your regular shopping list.

Sriracha Sauce
Adapted from Food52
Makes 2 cups

12 ounces fresno chiles (also called red jalapenos), stems removed and sliced
7 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 1/2 cups raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons raw honey

In a large jar, combine the sliced chiles (and seeds), garlic, kosher salt and cider vinegar. Screw the lid on and give a few little shakes to mix. Leave the mixture to sit on the counter overnight.

The next day, pour the jar contents into a medium saucepan and add the honey. Bring the mixture to a boil, stir a few times, then lower heat and let simmer for 5 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the stove and let cool to room temperature.

When cool, pour the mixture into a blender and puree until very smooth (this will take a few minutes). Stop and scrape the sides down a couple of times. Pour into a jar and pop it into the fridge, where it will keep for up to one month.

Green Curry Paste

When Pop, our wonderful exchange student from Thailand, lived with us I became hooked on making curry pastes from scratch rather than buying the little bottles in the store. Pop is a terrific cook and spoiled us well with her delicious food! I took notes when she was cooking, and green curry paste was something she made fairly often.

Fresh curry paste is vibrant and flavorful. By making your own, you can tweak the ingredients (I leave out the traditional shrimp paste) and the spice levels. No cooking is involved and it's a quick one to make.

You can whiz the ingredients together in a food processor, or my favorite way is to use a mortar and pestle. This method takes time, and there is something quite satisfying about pounding away and creating the bright green paste. The lively scents of lemongrass, basil, cilantro, chiles and lime coming together are intoxicating. As I pound away, I inhale deeply, my spirits lift and I feel awake. My eyes water, too!

When mixed with coconut milk and veggies, simmered and then ladled over rice, this curry paste transforms into a simple, spicy stew. It warms and soothes on a cold winter night when the snow is falling. And if you’re looking for a unique gift to bring your hosts on New Year's Eve, just spoon some into a little jar with a ribbon around it. I wish you a happy, healthy, and delicious new year!

Green Curry Paste
Makes 1 1/2 cups

1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon lime zest
5 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
2 ounces green chiles (Thai or Serrano chiles are good), stems removed and roughly chopped (remove seeds if less heat is desired)
1/3 cup coarsely chopped cilantro stems (save the leaves for another use)
1 large shallot (about 3 ounces), coarsely chopped
1 ounce fresh galangal root, finely minced
2 ounces Thai basil leaves, slivered
2 stalks lemongrass, white part only, finely chopped
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon lemon juice

Stir all the ingredients except the water the lemon juice together in a bowl. Depending upon the size of your mortar, you may need to make this in batches. Place your mortar on a folded kitchen towel to secure its base and protect your kitchen counter. Scoop the spice and chile mix into the mortar and begin mashing with your pestle. Add a couple drops of water and lemon juice to moisten and help it come together. Continue mashing and bashing until a rough paste is formed. This may take about 15 minutes and will give you a bit of a workout.

If you would prefer a quicker method, you can pulse the ingredients in a food processor until a rough paste forms, adding the water and lemon juice to help it come together.

Scoop the paste into a jar and cover. The paste keeps well in the fridge for a couple of weeks or can be frozen, so it's great to make extra to have on hand.

Butternut Squash Aigre-Doux

Over the summer, I flipped through Paul Virant’s The Preservation Kitchen while at my favorite cookbook shop and Butternut Squash Aigre-Doux jumped out. I love a new discovery and I decided on the spot that this had to be on my Thanksgiving menu. That was all the justification I needed to buy this gem of a book.

Now, I didn’t actually know what an aigre-doux was, but anything with butternut squash is bound to taste good and I was curious. Aigre-doux is French for sour-sweet, which is always a delightful combination that catches my attention. Fruit or vegetables (think blueberries, asparagus, cranberries or cipollini onions) are cooked with wine, vinegar, sugar and seasonings and transform into something that will make your taste buds tingle.

For this aigre-doux, butternut squash is simmered with sweet onion, maple syrup, wine and vinegar. The original recipe calls for sherry and sherry vinegar, but I used white wine and white wine vinegar instead.

As the rain poured outside, my kitchen filled with a delicious scent from the bubbling pot and all was warm and cozy. When I took my first nibble of squash, it was one of those “oh wow, this is seriously good” moments. The squash is sweet, but not overly so due to the bright acidity of the vinegar. Paul Virant recommends cooking the finished aigre-doux down a bit to form a glaze on the squash and serving it warm on your Thanksgiving table. I will! And I have already served it with soft goat cheese and toasted baguette slices - really, a wonderful combination of flavors and unique way to enjoy butternut squash.

Wishing all of you a warm, happy Thanksgiving holiday this week!

Butternut Squash Aigre-Doux
Makes 4 pints
Adapted from The Preservation Kitchen
By Paul Virant

2 pounds of butternut squash (about 1 large squash), cut in 1/2 inch dice
1 medium sweet onion (I used a Walla Walla), thinly sliced
1 3/4 cups dry white wine
1 1/2 cups maple syrup (I used grade B)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2/3 cup white wine vinegar

Have 4 clean pint jars ready. In a large pot, stir together the squash, onion, wine, maple syrup, salt and pepper. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower heat to a simmer and cook until squash is fork tender, about 15 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, scoop the squash pieces out and fill the jars. Add the vinegar to the brine left in the pot and bring to a simmer. Carefully pour the liquid into a heat proof pitcher and pour the brine over the squash in each jar, leaving 1/2 inch space at the top. Push the squash down a little to see if you can add more. You may have some brine leftover and can discard it. Screw the lids on the jars.

Pop the jars in the fridge where they will keep up to one month, but you'll gobble them up before that!

Cranberry Quince Sauce

My dining room table is covered with cookbooks and old issues (sniff) of Gourmet magazine (love those Thanksgiving editions!). All are open to various recipes I have made in the past or want to try for this year’s Thanksgiving dinner. For a few evenings now I’ve had to gather the stacks and move them so we can eat dinner. The books then quickly return to spread out again as I make my menu and shopping list. So many tempting choices for this one festive meal ... why can’t Thanksgiving be eight days long like Hanukkah?

I love trying creative twists on traditional favorites. Cranberry sauce lends itself well to experimenting. Cooked or raw, spiced or simple, cranberries are amazingly versatile and it’s always fun to mix in different flavors and textures.

Something new in my fridge are quinces that I picked up on impulse at the market. I haven’t cooked with quinces before and decided it was time. Quinces are in the same family as apples and pears, but unlike those the quince needs to be peeled and cooked first before eaten (according to what I’ve read, roasted, baked and poached are all good methods). The quince is hard and bland when raw, but when given some heat it transforms into a soft, floral, delicious fruit and the flesh becomes a rosy pink blush (they are high in pectin, as well, so I may try making quince jam this fall!).

When simmered in apple cider, the chopped quinces became fragrant and sweet and I could easily have stopped there and spooned some over pancakes. But I wanted cranberry sauce, so I poured in my fresh cranberries, some honey and maple syrup and started stirring. The lovely pop of cranberries soon began, and as they bubbled away a jewel-toned sauce emerged. I tasted a bit and was pleased with the results – tart with just the right touch of sweetness plus some added texture from the softened quince.

This is a quick sauce to make and cranberry flavor shines. In addition to your Thanksgiving table (or your turkey sandwiches), this would be terrific adorning a cheese plate.

Cranberry Quince Sauce
Makes 2 cups

2 quinces, peeled, cored and diced small
1 cup unfiltered apple cider
12 ounces fresh cranberries
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon maple syrup

In a medium sized sauce pan, combine the diced quince and apple cider and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer until the quince pieces are soft, about 8-10 minutes. Add the cranberries, honey and maple syrup and increase the heat to medium. Stir often and let cook until it thickens into a saucy texture, about 10-15 minutes. You’ll hear the lovely pop of cranberries! Watch closely to make sure it doesn’t start to stick or burn and lower heat if necessary. I like to make sure some of the cranberries stay whole for added texture. Remove from heat and let cool. Keep in the fridge for up to a week.

Autumn Spiced Plum Jam

A bag of plums from our friends’ tree is a welcome gift this week. Italian prune plums are like late-season zucchini right now: in abundance!  And I appreciate how versatile these little beauties are for snacking, baking, pickling and jamming. Not too sweet and full of luscious flavor, they take well to different spices and can go both sweet and savory.

Even though we are relishing our late summer sun and warm air, I am beginning to crave the fall flavors that are just around the corner. Dare I say it? Soups and stews are on my mind, even as I slip on my flip-flops. I baked the first apple cobbler of the season this week and now warm spices, such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg are filling my thoughts. Oh, and pumpkin pie. Soon enough!

With autumn tastes swirling in my head, I gaze at the bowl of purple plums, eat a couple and ponder how to transform them. I didn’t make nearly enough jam over the summer, so to hold onto these last whispers of summer but also welcome fall, I decide on a jam spiced with ginger, cardamom and cloves. Buckwheat honey from our Rosh Hashanah dipping adds a touch of dark, earthy sweetness.

Fragrant, rosy, lightly spiced and bursting with fresh plum goodness, it made a delightful breakfast this morning when spread on a sea salt baguette (a Mazama Store favorite) alongside a steaming cup of green tea. I’ll be making this jam again before the season ends (and I wouldn’t say no to another bag of plums either ...).

Autumn Spiced Plum Jam
Makes 1 pint

2 pounds Italian prune plums, pitted and chopped into halves, or quarters if large
1/4 cup honey
1/4 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Have ready a clean, sterilized pint jar and lid. In a large sauce pan, combine all of the ingredients over medium high heat and stir. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and let cook at a lightly bubbling simmer for about half an hour, stirring often to break down the fruit. Watch closely to be sure it does not begin to scorch and lower the heat further if needed. When the plums begin to thicken and coat a wooden spoon and have a jam-like consistency, remove from heat and let cool. Spoon the jam into the pint jar, cover and store in the fridge for up to one month.

A Worcestershire Sauce to Love

Making Worcestershire sauce at home, much less multiple times, was not on my DIY list a year ago. But as with almost all the DIY projects I dive into, I am rewarded to discover that the results are healthier, more flavorful and often less expensive. (There are, of course, exceptions: yogurt anyone? If at first you don’t succeed, try try again...) Worcestershire sauce is a slam-dunk winner, though, and I have been singing its praises since my first batch. I may be in love.

Worcestershire sauce was a happy find in Jennifer Reese’s terrific book, Make the Bread, Buy the Butter.  It was not something I ever dreamed I would have any interest in making since it never caught my attention the way other condiments do (mustards, hot sauces, chutneys). It turns out that was a reflection of the quality of Worcestershire I’d had. With store-bought Worcestershire, I used a teaspoon here and there. With homemade, I look for reasons to pull it out and start pouring.

Glossy, thick, robust and downright delicious - not the usual words to describe Worcestershire sauce!  I’m dolloping it on grilled steaks, mixing it into meatloaf, whisking it into salad dressings and adding spoonfuls wherever I want a pop of flavor. It may even make a marvelous homemade holiday gift, too.

I have made this Worcestershire quite a few times now following the original recipe. This last time, though, I had no dark corn syrup on hand, and rather than heading to the store I decided to try honey instead which yielded great results. I also had a couple of extra jalapenos in my crisper drawer that needed a purpose so I included them for a little more bite. Kapow. This is sauce with character. This is a sauce to love.

Worcestershire Sauce
From Make the Bread, Buy the Butter
By Jennifer Reese (used with permission)
Makes 3 - 4 cups

3 tablespoons olive oil
2 large onions, chopped
2 serrano chiles, chopped with seeds (I added 2 jalapenos, as well)
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Two 2-ounce cans anchovies, drained (I usually add the oil)
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 lemon, peel and white pith removed and discarded (I zest it first and freeze the zest)
2 cups honey (original recipe calls for dark corn syrup)
1 cup molasses
1 quart distilled white vinegar
1/4 pound fresh horseradish, peeled and grated

In a large, heavy sauce pan, combine the oil, onions and chiles and stir over high heat until soft, about 3 minutes. Add the garlic, pepper, anchovies, cloves, salt, lemon, honey, molasses, vinegar, horseradish and 2 cups of water and bring it all to a boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the sauce reduces and thickens and barely coats a wooden spoon, about 6 hours. Your kitchen will smell heavenly!

Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press gently to release all the liquid. Discard the solids and let the sauce cool to room temperature. Store in a bottle or jar in the fridge. It keeps indefinitely, but you’ll be gobbling it up!