Salsa Verde
Ingredients
700gms tomatillos, husks removed, split in half
1 medium white onion, peeled, split in half; 170gms
2 to 4 Serrano or jalapeño chillies, split in half
10 to 15 sprigs coriander
1 tbsp vegetable oil
Kosher salt
Method
Adjust oven rack to 4 inches below broiler and preheat broiler to high. Place tomatillos, onion, and chiles on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet. Broil until darkly charred and blackened on top and tomatillos are completely tender, 6 to 12 minutes.
Transfer vegetables and their juice to a blender, food processor, or the cup of an immersion blender. Add half of cilantro. Blend in pulses until a rough purée is formed.
Heat oil in a medium saucepan over high heat until shimmering. Pour salsa into the hot oil all at once (it will steam and sputter). Immediately start stirring and continue to cook, stirring, until salsa is darkened and thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Finely chop remaining cilantro and stir into salsa. Season to taste with salt. Let cool, then serve. Salsa can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Herb Butter
Ingredients
½ cup (8 tbsp) butter
1 to 3 tsp finely chopped fresh tender herbs of choice
1 tsp lemon zest, optional
Kosher salt, to taste, optional
Method
Leave the butter out at room temperature until it softens.
Mince the fresh herbs and grate the lemon zest, if using.
Put the softened butter in a bowl. Add the herb and zest and using a fork, mash it all together until thoroughly combined.
Add salt to taste if you started with unsalted butter.
Scoop the herb butter onto a piece of parchment paper.
Chimichurri Sauce
Argentine in its origins, chimichurri is typically made of finely-chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano and white vinegar – though there are regional variations, with Uruguay adding red pepper flakes for an added kick.
The name’s origin is unclear. Numerous linguists hold the name, chimichurri, as derived from Basque’s tximitxurri, pronounced chee-mee-CHOO-ree; stumbling interpreted as ‘a mix of several things in no special order’.
Ingredients
1 garlic clove, peeled
1⁄2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1⁄2 cup fresh coriander
1⁄4 cup green onions, chopped
3 tbsp red wine vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
pinch of salt and pepper
Method
Add all the chimichurri ingredients into a food processor and pulse until smooth.
Drizzle chimichurri sauce atop rested steak.
Sauces are used to complement a particular dish, not dominate & all sauces in this module have very distinct applications. Consider the following:
Béarnaise Sauce: Any hot emulsion sauce, whether it be Béarnaise, Hollandaise or a Beurre Blanc, a simple butter-based emulsified sauce which pairs beautifully with fish, seafood & vegetables can be considered a delicacy & should be treated as such. Your can either serve separately or top the steak just prior to serving. The consistency of the Béarnaise Sauce should hold its own & not run initially, but as it losers its emulsification, it will ultimately break down & cover the steak.
Chimichurri Sauce & Charred Salsa Verde: both sauces may have the tendency to dominate, serve is individual ramekins on the side & let the patron apply to the steak.
Bordelaise Sauce: a homemade espagnole & demi glaze is not practical, use a store bought beef stock & enhance with roasted beef shin bones & a mirepoix of onion, celery & tomatoes. Initiate a Maillard reaction of the beef bones, caramelize the mirepoix & deglaze the baking tray with the beef stock. Strain, season & add a bouget garni & a little tomato paste & reduce. You will not duplicate the same intensity of a traditional demi glaze but guaranteed you will produce a sauce that is both flavoursome & one with ample body.
Persian Yogurt w/ Cucumber
Open any Persian restaurant menu in the Western world and you are sure to find māst-o-khiār. This popular Persian yogurt and cucumber dish is versatile, serving many roles on the table, from a starter to an accompaniment for rice and grilled meats, or even as a dip. A Persian sofreh—the physical table setting, and the people gathered around it for a meal—is unthinkable without a bowl of some kind of yogurt-based accompaniment, and māst-o-khiār is arguably the most popular among them.
The combination of plain yogurt and finely diced or shredded fresh cucumber is simple and easy to put together yet produces an exciting contrast of flavors (sharp, tangy, and refreshing) and textures (creamy and crunchy) all in one bite.
It’s a winning combination—just look at how many iterations of yogurt mixed with fresh cucumbers exist throughout the Middle East, and Central Asia, and southeastern Europe: Greek tzatziki, Turkish cacik, Bulgarian tarator, Indian raita, and Iraqi jajeek, just to name a few. While these yogurt-based, sauce-like dishes have many similarities, here I will speak to the unique characteristics and history of māst-o-khiār.
Ingredients:
4 Persian cucumbers or 1 English cucumber, peeled
475gms plain yogurt
2 tsp crushed dried mint leaves
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
Kosher salt
Method:
Dice the peeled cucumber into 1/4-inch (0.5cm) pieces. Alternatively, shred the cucumber on the large holes of a box grater.
In a large mixing bowl, stir together the cucumber, yogurt, mint, and pepper. Season with salt to taste. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with additional mint for garnish, if desired. Serve.
English cucumber may be substituted for Persian cucumber with an equal amount by weight.
Regular (undrained) yogurt or Greek (drained) yogurt will both work in this recipe. The drained yogurt will produce a thicker māst-o-khiār perfect as an appetizer or a dip. Regular undrained yogurt will make a thinner and more pourable māst-o-khiār that is great served as an accompaniment to a rice dish or grilled meat. You can use full- or partial-fat yogurt; keep in mind that full-fat yogurt will produce a richer result, but more important than anything is to use an appropriately tangy yogurt if at all possible (see headnote for more guidance on yogurt type).
Make Sure to use dried spearmint, and not dried peppermint for this recipe.
When it comes to the amount of cucumber and yogurt, māst-o-khiār is a very flexible recipe in the sense that you do not need to be exact.
French Onion Dip
Ingredients
2 tsp sugar
3 large yellow onions (680gms), finely diced
1 tbsp (15gms) unsalted butter
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ cup (120mls)
¾ cup sour cream
½ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp lemon juice
½ tsp Worcestershire sauce
½ ounce (15g) finely grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp finely sliced chives
Method
Heat sugar in a skillet over medium-high heat until completely melted and light brown, about 3 minutes. Immediately add onions and stir to coat onions in sugar.
Add butter, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine. Sweat onions until fragrant & caramelization becomes apparent. Continue to cook on meium to high heat, stirring ocassioally until onions reach a rich hue, 6 to 8 minutes.
Add 2 tablespoons chicken stock, shake skillet to to dislodge caramelized oinion from sides & base of pan Continue cooking, shaking occasionally until coating begins to build up again, about every 2 minutes. Repeat deglazing process and cooking steps three more times until all chicken stock is used and onions are deep brown. Transfer to mixing bowl and allow to cool at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Add sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice, parmesan, and Worcestershire and whisk to combine. For a smoother texture, run through blender or food processor for 1 minute until smooth. Chill in a sealed container for at least 1 hour and up to 5 days (flavor will improve with time). Spoon into a bowl, sprinkle with chives, and serve.
Smoked Salmon Dip
Ingredients
1 large shallot, quartered
100 gms cold-smoked salmon
100 gms cold-smoked salmon, cut fine chiffonade
⅓ cup mayonnaise
⅓ cup sour cream
120 gms cream cheese, softened
2 tsp grated lemon zest plus 2 tbsp fresh juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh chives, plus more for garnish
1 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus more for garnish
2 tsp drained capers, coarsely chopped
sea salt, to taste
ground white pepper, to taste
Method
Pulse shallot in a food processor until finely chopped. Add ½ 0f the salmon & pulse until mixture is a smooth paste & transfer to a large bowl, & set aside.
Add mayonnaise, sour cream, cream cheese, lemon zest, & lemon juice to a food processor & pulse to fully combine & mixture is smooth & creamy, scraping down the sides of the bowl to incorporate.
Fold in the chiffonade cut salmon with the chives, dill, & capers & season to taste with salt & pepper.
Transfer dip to a serving bowl. Garnish with additional chives & dill & refrigerate to chill.
Tzatziki
Tzatziki is a sauce made primarily of salted & strained yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, & herbs with origins in southeastern Europe & the Middle East. In Turkey, the same sauce is called Cacik; it’s called Tarator in Bulgaria, & similar etymology variations exist in surrounding areas. Herbs in the sauce may vary, & some versions call for tahini or use vinegar instead of lemon juice. This sauce is often served with a meze platter, alongside pita, baba ghanoush, tabouleh, & more.
Remove the seeds from the cucumber here to avoid an unpleasant texture & be sure to chop extra dill to garnish the finished sauce. If you’re used to doubling or tripling the garlic in any given recipe, we encourage you to stick to just the one clove called for here, especially if you’re making the tzatziki in advance. Raw garlic is more pungent than cooked, & its flavour will grow more pronounced in the refrigerator as the sauce sits.
For extra richness, you can drizzle the tzatziki with olive oil right before serving. The sauce pairs well with roasted lamb or kebabs. Try it with flatbread, or elevate simply roasted carrots, or serve alongside a crudité platter.
Ingredients
1 cup Greek-style plain yogurt
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, & diced.
1 garlic clove, finely grated
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 tbsp chopped fresh dill, plus extra for garnish
½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper, or to taste
toasted pita or pita chips, for serving
Method
Combine yogurt, cucumber, garlic, lemon juice, & dill in a medium bowl. Season with salt & pepper & garnish with fresh dill & serve with toasted pita.
