Sample
Aioli Sauce
2 or 3 large cloves of garlic per person and for 8 to 9 people, the yolks of 3 eggs
about 500ml / 2 ¼ American cups of olive oil
lemon juice
salt
Pass the peeled garlic through a garlic press into a mortar and crush it until it is a smooth pulp, add the egg yolks and a pinch of salt and mix everything together very well with a wooden spoon until it is smooth and homogenous. Start adding the olive oil in drops very slowly at first, as when making mayonnaise, stirring it until it begins to thicken; when about half the olive oil has been added, the aioli should be of a very thick consistency, stir the remaining olive oil in, in a slow and steady stream. The sauce will become very thick and firm, then add a very little lemon juice, check for seasoning. Put into a bowl for serving.
The sauce cannot be done in a food processor or liquidiser as for normal mayonnaise, because the garlic becomes bitter.
This is an exquisite Provencal sauce for garlic lovers, to serve with boiled fish, cold meats and chicken and hard boiled eggs, or with an assortment of cooked vegetables such as potatoes, green beans, beetroot, zucchini, artichokes, carrots, peppers cooked or raw and tomatoes.
Balsamic vinegar sauce, for boiled fish or chicken
1 tablespoon / 1 ¼ American tablespoons strong Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon / 1 ¼ American tablespoons balsamic vinegar
200ml / ¾ American cup extra virgin olive oil
salt and freshly ground black
pepper
Mix the mustard and vinegar together, add the olive oil and seasoning and emulsify together very well.
Bechamel sauce
250ml ( 1 American cup) warm milk
2 tablespoons (2 ½ American) flour
2 tablespoons (2 ½ American) extra virgin olive oil
salt and a pinch of nutmeg
Put the olive oil and flour in a saucepan and over a low heat, cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring all the time, then gradually add the milk and keep stirring until the sauce has thickened sufficiently, add the salt and nutmeg and remove from the heat.
Brandy sauce
150ml / 2/3rds American cup fresh cream
300ml / 1 ¼ American cups hot milk
5 tablespoons / 6 American tablespoon sugar
6 tablespoons/ 7 American tablespoons olive oil
10 tablespoons / 12 American tablespoons brandy
Put the olive oil and flour in a saucepan, and over a low heat, cook for about 2 minutes, stirring all the time. Then add the milk and sugar, stir until the sauce thickens, then add the cream and last of all the brandy. When heated through, remove from the heat and serve hot. If made ahead of time, add the brandy after the sauce has been re-heated.
An alternative sauce is to sweeten 400g. of mascarpone with sugar and mix in the brandy to taste.
Garam Masala
1 tablespoon cardamom seeds (de-husk the whole pods)
a stick of cinnamon about 5cms long
l teaspoon whole cloves
l tablespoon black peppercorns
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground mace
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
Put all the whole spices in the spice grinder and grind until fine, then mix in the ground nutmeg and mace. Put in a screw top jar. It will keep for several months. This spice mixture is used in the Indian recipes in this book.
Mayonnaise
2 egg yolks at room temperature
plus 2 teaspoons of egg white.
2 teaspoons lemon juice
300 ml / 1 ¼ American cups olive oil
salt
All the ingredients must be at room temperature.
Place the egg yolks, a pinch of salt and l teaspoon of lemon juice and the egg white in the processor, and beat well for about l minute, then whilst the machine is running, very gradually start adding the olive oil in a continuous slow stream. When all the olive oil is in, it can be added in greater quantity as the mayonnaise becomes thick, put in the remaining lemon juice whilst the machine is still running. Stop the machine, taste, and season if necessary, and mix in for about 2 seconds.
Mayonnaise, if covered, will keep for about 5 to 6 days in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before stirring it up, otherwise the chilled egg yolks may separate from the oil.
It is important to add the oil slowly, at the beginning especially, so that the egg yolks have time to absorb the oil. If the mayonnaise should curdle, warm a bowl, put a tablespoon of Dijon mustard in the bowl, add a teaspoon of mayonnaise and mix very well, continue to do so gradually adding the rest of the mayonnaise.
Salsa Verde. (for 4)
3 to 4 tablespoons (4 to 5 American) finely chopped parsley
2 tablespoons (2 ½ American) capers
1 small clove of garlic
2 anchovy filets
½ teaspoon strong Dijon mustard
extra virgin olive oil
Put all the ingredients in the food processor, except for the mustard and olive oil, and chop very finely together, then add the mustard and enough olive oil to make a thick sauce consistency.
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