Thursday, July 25, 2013

Basic sauces: lemon and oil, roasted brussel sprouts...

This should be self explanatory Lemon and Olive oil is one of the best sauces out there. The technique pretty much lends itself to a variety of  citrus fruits and to a degree just use sweeter vinegars (like balsamic or apple) in a smaller quantity to enjoy your deep green things and noodley things more when there is no lemony goodness around.
Here's how to do it.

On many things squeezing 1-2 tb olive oil and the juice of a lemon will do it. Add a sprinkle of salt if you desire ...which I do. Done. This is helpful for salad, Chopped salad and as a dressing on white bean soup.

Let's say you just stovetop roasted some mushrooms and onion or say broccoli or really anything verdant or nicely bitter(Chicken breasts too if you eat them). Before you stir fry add 1/2 onion half moon sliced and sautee in olive oil, adding 1-10 cloves of sliced garlic once the onion becomes translucent. Grab a cup of water (or wine if the mood calls for it) to keep by the stove. Add a half cup to your pot after the onions and garlic play for a bit. Add salt here if you use it. Grate 1/2 of your lemon's (well washed) peel into the pot. Once the liquid reduces substantially to a syrupy/brothy texture add the juice of the lemon. Don't worry this works with bottled lemon juice and no zest if that's what you have, the flavour is just a bit less bright. Garnish with fresh herbs like thyme,mint, chives, basil,etc. when you have them and when it doesn't clash.

Let's say you are roasting brussel sprouts. Fresh brussel sprouts, not the completely ruined frozen variety. So it's fall or spring and you want delicious sprouts. Clean those sprouts and cut a partial x through their butts after trimming the stem. Sliced 3 cloves of garlic on that lb. of sprouts and toss in a liberal bath of olive oil 3-4 tb. Zest and squeeze you lemon on it, Add salt again if you like. add 1/4 cup water and cook in the oven 15 minutes at 425 F. Put under broiler at same temp for last 10 minutes


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