Chunky Pistachio Pesto

March 27, 2025 By

Last weekend I found amazing wild caught king salmon at my local fish market and brought it home without a plan on how I’d cook it. I had leftover pistachios so decided to add them to my food processor with garlic, flat leaf parsley, olive oil, red pepper flakes and salt and pepper. With a few pulses, I had a chunky concoction with lovely herby/garlicky aromas – heavenly!

This pesto would be great on grilled chicken, roasted vegetables and just about anything. I eyeballed the ingredients, but this is a good estimation of the measurements.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup unsalted pistachios
  • 2 small cloves of garlic (or a large one)
  • ½ cup olive oil
  • Big handful of flat leaf parsley, about 3/4 cup, stems included
  • ½ tsp. each red pepper flakes, salt and pepper
  • 1 tsp. red wine vinegar

Directions:

  1. Add all the ingredients to a food processor and pulse about 10 times, until mixture is well blended but still chunky.

Yields about 1/2 cup of pesto.

Filed Under: Italian, Sauce, Vegetables Tagged With: , , , , ,
15 December 2023 Salsa Verde Enchilada Sauce

Salsa Verde Enchilada Sauce

December 15, 2023 By

I love anything with flavors of lime and cilantro so when I’m out at a Mexican restaurant, I typically order enchiladas verde, enchiladas in green salsa. Salsa verde features tomatillos, garlic, onions, chiles and lime. I made my version by first roasting my veggies on the grill to get bits of char in the salsa. This process can also be done in a 450 degree oven.

Ingredients:

  • 1 pound peeled tomatillos, about 6 medium-sized tomatillos
  • 6 whole garlic cloves
  • 1 onion, cut into chunks
  • 1 large poblano pepper, seeded and chopped in large pieces
  • 3 Tbsp. olive oil
  • 1 tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 8 ounces chicken broth (can use vegetable broth)
  • Juice of 2 limes
  • 1 7-ounce can green chilis (I use La Preferida Mild Diced Green Chiles, Roasted & Peeled)
  • 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

  1. Place the tomatillos, garlic, onion and poblano in a bowl and add the olive oil, the salt and the pepper. Toss to fully coat. Place the veggies on a grill pan, or an outdoor grill, and roast on medium-high heat for about 10 minutes, turning to roast on all sides, until veggies have softened and show charred bits. If roasting in an oven, place the veggies on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes at 450 degrees.
  2. Place the roasted veggies in a blender or food processor (could use a stick blender) with the broth, lime juice, green chillis and cilantro. Blend until mostly smooth, about 15 seconds. Taste and re-season, if needed, to taste.

Makes about 3 cups salsa verde.

Filed Under: Mexican, Sauce Tagged With: , , ,
19 December 2022 Easy Garlic Confit

Easy Garlic Confit

December 19, 2022 By

I have a jar of this fantastic concoction in the fridge at all times. I typically make it every couple of weeks and use the oil and the cloves in a variety of things ranging from adding to potatoes I’m mashing (see picture below) to simple crostini with smacked cloves and a drizzle of oil to adding to a tomato sauce for subtle sweet garlic taste.

There’s not an actual recipe, add whole cloves to olive oil in a small pot and cook slowly. Couldn’t be easier!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups olive oil

Whole garlic cloves, I use about 40 for this quantity of oil, but lower the count for less oil

Adding cooked cloves to mashed potatoes

Directions:

Heat oil on low in a small saucepan, add the garlic and cook for 45 – 60 minutes until the cloves are soft.

Store in a glass container in the fridge for up to 10 days. I use a mason jar.

Enjoy!

Veronique

Filed Under: Italian, Sauce, Sides, Snacks, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
14 December 2022 Horseradish Cream

Horseradish Cream

December 14, 2022 By

Horseradish cream is fantastic and you need it in your life. That’s all this post should really say. It’s a condiment that’s put together in a couple minutes and goes amazingly well with some many things, including my Reverse Seared Prime Rib.

Whip this up the day prior to using it as it develops its flavors over time, just cover your bowl in cling wrap and refrigerate.

Regarding the horseradish I use, I like the Silver Spring Horseradish brand as it’s fresh and hot. Make sure whatever brand you get, it’s the horseradish that’s refrigerated often referred to as “fresh”, “prepared” or “coarse”. I don’t recommend the kind found on grocery shelves store at room temperature for this preparation.

Ingredients:

  • 5 Tbsp. fresh prepared horseradish, drained
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 6 Tbsp. mayonnaise (I use Duke’s)
  • 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice (could use lime juice also)
  • ½ tsp. each salt and freshly-ground pepper

Directions:

  1. Combine and whisk all the ingredients together
  2. Refrigerate until ready to serve, up to a day ahead of serving

Yields 1 ½ cups cream.

Cheers, Veronique

Filed Under: American, Sauce, Sides, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
29 December 2021 Lemon Mustard Cream Sauce

Lemon Mustard Cream Sauce

December 29, 2021 By

This lemon and mustard cream sauce is perfect on basically everything. I originally made this easy mustard sauce to put on a pork schnitzel dish, but it’s equally great on fish and chicken. It’s creamy from the béchamel, tangy from the lemon juice and mustard, and a little licoricey from the tarragon.

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
  • 1 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
  • 1 Tbsp. coarse ground mustard (could also use 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard instead of 1 tablespoon each Dijon and ground mustard)
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 1 cup heavy cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • ¼ tsp. each black pepper, salt and tarragon

Directions:

  1. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Add the flour, whisking constantly, and cook for 2 minutes.
  2. Add the mustards and lemon juice, whisk well and continue to cook for 1 minute.
  3. Add the cream, chicken broth and spices, whisking until the mixture comes to a simmer. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for about 20 minutes, until the sauce has thickened.

Yield: 1 ½ cups.

Filed Under: American, French, Sauce Tagged With: , , ,
26 July 2018 Garlic Miso Cremini Mushrooms

Garlic Miso Cremini Mushrooms

July 26, 2018 By

It’s prime grilling season and, unlike other times of the year, we find ourselves gravitating to the meat counter at our local butcher shop for steaks. If you’re a carnivore, there’s nothing better than a medium-rare ribeye seared to perfection and served with a carb-loaded side.

In an effort to cut down on carbs, we often forego the typical baked potatoes and corn in favor of grilled vegetables. Asparagus, zucchini and squash are veggies we like, but, our very favorites are mushrooms. We enjoy all kinds of mushrooms cooked many different ways.

One of those ways is to sauté mushrooms in garlic brown butter and finish with white miso and sage – yum!! Miso is a traditional Japanese seasoning produced by fermenting mashed soybeans (could also use rice or barley) with salt and a mold called Koji. After fermenting for anywhere from a few months to a few years, the miso turns into a thick paste that can be used in many ways to season things like soups and marinades. White miso paste, which is milder in flavor and lighter in color than its dark/red miso kin, can be found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store or at Asian markets.

These Garlic Miso Cremini Mushrooms are also great on burgers and served with grilled salmon or pork chops.

Ingredients:

  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 16-ounces sliced Cremini mushrooms (can use button or other mushrooms too)
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. white miso paste (this is the one I use)
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage

Directions:

  1. Place a large skillet over high heat and add butter. Once the butter is slightly browned, after about 1 minute, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the mushrooms and toss to coat in garlic butter then cook for about 5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until soften and slightly golden.
  2. Add the salt and pepper and stir to combine.
  3. Add the miso paste and stir into the mushroom mixture until it’s fully dissolved, about 1 minute.
  4. Add the sage and stir to combine for about 30 seconds.

Makes 2 large side servings.

Filed Under: American, Japanese, Mushrooms, Sauce, Sides, Vegetables, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , , ,
6 July 2018 Chive Sour Cream Salad Dressing

Chive Sour Cream Salad Dressing

July 6, 2018 By

This Chive Sour Cream Salad Dressing was something we used on fresh green lettuce during the summer months in Quebec when I was growing up when the days were warm and eating outside was de rigueur.

It’s a really simple, tangy dressing that you can make a day in advance if kept in a container with a tight-fitting lid. I use canning jars for this as it’s easy to shake up the ingredients before pouring over the greens.

I typically use chives in this salad dressing, but use whatever fresh herbs you have on hand. Cilantro and basil are particularly delicious. Serve the dressing cold on cold lettuce for extra freshness.

Ingredients:

  • ½ cup sour cream
  • ½ cup heavy cream (could use half-and-half)
  • ½ tsp. each salt and pepper
  • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped chives
  • 1 Tbsp. chopped green onion
  • Zest of half a lemon
  • One large head of Freshly-washed lettuce greens, torn in bit size pieces

Directions:

  1. Combine all the ingredients except the lettuce greens in a medium canning jar and shake well until all the ingredients are fully combined (could use a bowl and whisk also).
  2. Pour the dressing over the greens, toss to coat well and check for seasoning. I typically add a couple big pinches of salt and re-toss.

Serves 4 guests.

Filed Under: American, Appetizers, Sauce, Sides, Vegetables Tagged With: , ,
15 February 2018 Harissa Yogurt Sauce

Harissa Yogurt Sauce

February 15, 2018 By

Today’s Blue Apron lunch yielded an incredibly tasty topping, harissa yogurt sauce, on a lamb burger. Harissa is a roasted red chili pepper paste with a bit of spice and lots of smokey flavors.

It’s just a few ingredients mixed together, so not truly a recipe, but it’s great and could be used as a topping for just about anything from chicken to fries to turkey sandwiches.

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
  • 1 ounce goat cheese, crumbled into small pieces
  • 1 Tbsp. red harissa paste (can be found in most grocery stores)
  • 1 Tbsp. olive oil
  • Pinch each of salt and pepper

Directions:

  1. Whisk the ingredients in a bowl, serve with your favorite foods.

Yields enough sauce for two entrees.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Sauce Tagged With: , , ,
14 December 2017 Easy Miso Butter Sauce

Easy Miso Butter Sauce

December 14, 2017 By

Miso Butter SauceMy hubby fixed our Blue Apron dinner last night and our dish, pork chop with miso butter sauce was outstanding. What made the dish was the rich, slightly salty, umami-packed miso butter sauce. It would go great with steaks or chicken or vegetables or just about anything.

Ingredients:

  • 3 Tbsp. sweet white miso paste
  • 1 Tbsp. soy glaze
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 2 Tbsp. butter

Directions:

  1. Whisk the first 3 ingredients in a bowl.
  2. Add sauce to a sauté pan (even better if you just cooked your protein in the pan and there’s fond leftover) over medium heat and cook for 30 seconds, whisking constantly.
  3. Turn off the heat, add the butter and whisk for another 30 seconds. Season with salt and pepper.

Yields enough sauce for two entrees.

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: American, Japanese, Sauce Tagged With: , ,
10 April 2017 Easy Cilantro Parsley Chimichurri Sauce

Easy Cilantro Parsley Chimichurri Sauce

April 10, 2017 By

Chimichurri is a traditional Argentinean condiment typically made with parsley and served along with grilled steak. I sometimes make mine with just parsley, but since I love cilantro so much, I often combine the two herbs for a twist on the traditional.

I use chimichurri not only on steak but also on grilled fish, as a condiment on a burger and tossed with vegetables – there are a million uses for this bright, tart sauce. Just throw all the ingredients in a blender or food processor and purée!

Since a little goes a long way with chimichurri, I store leftovers in a canning jar with a tightly-fitting lid in the fridge for up to 10 days. Just be sure to bring the sauce to room temperature before serving if storing in the fridge as the oil will set and the whole thing will be solid until it warms up.

Cilantro and Parsley

Ingredients:

  • 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  • 2 Tbsp. diced red onion
  • 1 cup flat leaf parsley leaves (no stems)
  • 1 cup cilantro leaves (no stems)
  • ¾ cup olive oil
  • Juice of half a lemon
  • 3 Tbsp. red wine vinegar
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • ½ tsp. black pepper
  • ½ tsp. red pepper flakes

Chimichurri Sauce on Steak

Directions:

  1. Place all the ingredients in a blender or a food processor and purée until mostly smooth, about 30 seconds.

8 servings (3 Tbsp. per serving).

Cheers,

Veronique

Filed Under: Argentinean, Sauce, Vegetarian Tagged With: , , ,
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