Recipe Course: Sauces

Fresh Tomatillo-Avocado Salsa

This super easy salsa is a burst of fresh flavors, best eaten the day it is made. It is a classic without the avocado (salsa verde cruda), but with the avocado it takes on a lovely subdued creaminess.

 

  • Put the tomatillos, cilantro, onion, chiles, garlic, cumin, salt, and the 1/2 cup oil in the blender and blend until almost smooth. Add the avocado and pulse to combine. Check the seasoning and transfer to a bowl; drizzle with oil, if desired.
  • Serve with homemade tortilla chips or with grilled steak.

Pineapple-Habanero Salsa

Habanero chiles, hot as they are, have a fruity flavor that sings in any fruit salsa. You can tone down the heat by removing the veins, but if you like salsa spicy, leave them in.

 

  • Combine all the ingredients except the cilantro in a bowl. Measure 1 cup of the mixture and blend in a blender until smooth. Stir into the salsa along with the cilantro.
  • Serve immediately with Homemade Tortilla Chips or on seared tuna steaks.

Harissa Aïoli

  • Put the cloves of garlic into a food processor or blender and process until finely chopped.
  • Add egg yolks and water and process until blended.
  • With the machine running, drizzle in the Robusto Extra Virgin Olive Oil very slowly until the mixture is emulsified.
  • Once the oil has been added, stop the machine, add the spicy harissa paste and finely chopped preserved lemon, then pulse to blend.
  • Transfer to a bowl and season to taste with salt and pepper.

Fresh Tomato Sauce

  • Combine chopped tomatoes, Olive Oil, parsley or basil (or both), chopped fresh thyme, garlic clove, black pepper, and a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes in a large non-reactive bowl and mix well.
  • Let the sauce sit, covered, at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
  • Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.

Lemon Olive Oil Sauce

  • Combine the juice of 2 large lemons, 1/2 cup Filippo Berio Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 1/4 cup hot water, 1 clove chopped garlic, 2 Tbs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, and 1 tsp. dried oregano in a medium bowl and whisk until blended. Add salt and pepper to taste. Keep refrigerated and use to baste grilled fish, meat, or poultry. Store in a sealed container for up to 5 days.

Uncooked Tomato Sauce

  • On cutting board, mound parsley, basil and garlic; chop finely; transfer mixture to large bowl. Add olive oil, salt, and pepper to taste.
  • Halve tomatoes; remove cores and squeeze out seeds. Dice tomatoes, then add to olive oil mixture, stirring well. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

 

Tip: To serve, divide sauce among bowls of hot pasta. Top each bowl with 1 tbsp butter. Toss just before serving.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Roasted Fennel and Cherry Tomato Sauce

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Brush 13- x 9-inch baking pan with olive oil. Add olive oil, fennel, cherry tomatoes, garlic, sugar and salt to pan; bake, stirring occasionally, for 20 to 25 minutes or just until vegetables have softened.

 

Tips:

  • Stir in 1 tbsp of minced capers at the end of the cooking time to give the sauce a nice sweet-and-sour taste. Two tbsp of fresh thyme stirred into the sauce is another refreshing variation.
  • This makes a delicious side dish to Cornish hens served with potatoes, or spooned over baked fish.
  • Toss this sauce with 3/4 lb spaghetti or a short-cut macaroni, such as ziti or penne.
  • The sauce also makes a terrific pizza topping.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Olive Oil Mayonnaise

  • In blender, combine olive oil, egg substitute, onion, salt, mustard, garlic, and sugar; blend until thoroughly mixed.
  • While blender is running, very slowly add olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar, stopping to scrape down sides several times.
  • Add remaining olive oil, 1 tablespoonful at a time, with blender running. Store mayonnaise in a tightly sealed covered container in refrigerator for up to 3 weeks.

Lemon Sauce

In food processor, combine lemon segments, sugar, salt and pepper to taste; pulse to coarse consistency. Pour in olive oil and process until mixture is almost smooth. Transfer to jar; store in refrigerator.

 

Recipe provided by Chef Mary Ann Esposito

Eggplant Caviar

  • Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut eggplants in half lengthwise; place, cut sides down, on bakng sheet; bake for 20 minutes or until they are fork-tender.
  • Let eggplants cool slightly; scoop out pulp into blender. Purée pulp; spoon into bowl. Stir in oil, green onions, garlic, lemon juice, basil and pepper. Serve at room temperature or refrigerate for 1 hour before serving.

Tip: Serve with your favorite crackers or toast.

Recipe provided by The Low Cholesterol Olive Oil Cookbook