Traditional sauces spruce up a boring meal.
There is an old Latin proverb that says, "Savory seasonings stimulate the appetite." One family might consider cranberry sauce traditional; another family may prefer sweet and sour sauce, but they will all agree that the flavorful offerings not only stimulate the appetite but also bring memories. Traditional sauces are the cornerstone to family dishes, but occasionally a bit of a culinary shake-up is needed to keep well-loved dishes from getting boring.
BBQ
Whether it is the sweet smoky flavor, the hard hit of spice or the woody aftertaste, barbecue sauce is the backbone of summer cookouts and tailgating parties. Standard commercial barbecue sauce offers a variety of flavors that can be mixed and whipped into some nontraditional meals. Put a little zip in your spaghetti by adding some barbecue to the tomato sauce. Mixing a fruit salsa such as mango or papaya in with standard sauce brings out the flavor in BBQ chicken.
Marinara
This traditional tomato-based red sauce is typically infused with herbs such as basil and sage. Pasta and pizza are two typical dishes associated with marinara sauce. Add a new element to an over-served meal by baking some chicken or beef in the sauce before serving it with pasta or over rice. Meatball subs are another nice alternative to pasta, and the meat can be boiled in the marinara before serving. Try topping a hamburger with a spoonful of Marinara and a thick slice of mozzarella.
Sweet and Sour
The red, dripping sauce that most Americans equate to sweet-and-sour sauce is not what the true sauce is. In Europe it is not uncommon to find chunks of onion, pepper and pineapple in the sauce. Homemade sweet-and-sour sauce can be poured over pork or chicken and baked. Cooking fresh fish in sweet-and-sour sauce is a trendy Chinese entr e; serve with steamed rice and lychee fruit for a complete meal.
Hollandaise
France introduced this buttery, cream-laden sauce that is perfect over poached eggs or blanketing asparagus. The sauce needs a bit of practice to master as the yolks tend to harden quickly in the boiling sauce. The cooking process also needs constant whisking to keep the sauce from separating or becoming lumpy, but is well worth the effort to impress guests.
Cranberry
Cranberry sauce is intrinsic to Thanksgiving and Christmas, but this traditional sauce can be enjoyed anytime of the year. Stir the tart sauce into tuna salad to spruce up a boring sandwich. Whip up cranberry vinaigrette with olive oil and red wine vinegar. The vinaigrette perfectly complements any spinach-based salad. Try adding it to a slow cooker when making barbecue pulled pork. Anyway you mix it, cranberry sauce is as versatile as it is traditional.
Tags: sweet-and-sour sauce, barbecue sauce, before serving, cranberry sauce, sauce that
