Cocktail Sauce

  This cocktail sauce is highlighted by the addition of fresh horseradish and is a natural companion to seafood.  Especially good on shrimp, oysters or even hushpuppies, this sauce should contain enough heat to satisfy even the toughest of palates.

Horseradish is one of the five bitter herbs of the Jewish Passover.

 Thoroughly mix together in a small bowl:

● ½ cup ketchup

● ½ cup chili sauce

● ¼ cup finely grated fresh horseradish (or 4 tbsp. prepared horseradish)

● ½ teaspoon hot sauce

● ¼ Old Bay seasoning

● ¼ freshly ground black pepper

● Juice from 1 lemon, freshly squeezed

Serve at room temperature.

Makes around 1 cup.

Honey-Mustard Dressing

  Honey-Mustard dressing is a healthier and delicious alternative to dressings made with mayonnaise.  The sweet/hot/sour combination really compliments each ingredient to the fullest.  Not only is this dressing good on, for instance, a spinach and bacon salad, it also makes a fantastic dip or sauce for fish, chicken and pork.  This basic recipe is only a starting point.  You can easily customize the flavors here by adding your own dried herbs and spices to suit your tastes.

Honey-mustard also makes a tasty sandwich spread.

Whisk together thoroughly in a bowl:

• ¾ cup good quality honey (the darker, the better)

• ½ cup Dijon mustard

• 4 tbsp. white wine vinegar

• Ground red pepper to taste

Makes around 1½ cups

For a thinner dressing, whisk in extra-virgin olive oil until you reach the desired consistency.

Mayonnaise

  Originally a French sauce, mayonnaise has been adopted as the preeminent sandwich spread.  Sadly, due to fear of raw eggs and the convenience of bottled options, homemade mayo is becoming a thing of the past.  Not only is this mayonnaise light and vibrant, it lifts any recipe that calls for it to a new level.

Mayo mixed with capers, chopped gherkins and fresh dill makes tartar sauce.

  Though the recipe is modified, I found that Alton Brown’s method was the easiest way to get a good emulsion going.  If there are any concerns about using raw eggs, pasteurized eggs can be substituted.  All ingredients should be at room temperature.

•  ½ tsp. white pepper

•  ½ tsp. salt (not Kosher)

•  2 pinches sugar

•  ½ tsp. dry mustard

•  1 tsp. English or Dijon mustard

•  2 tsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice

•  1 tbsp. white wine vinegar

•  1 cup corn oil

•  1 egg yolk

In a glass bowl, whisk together the yolk and the dry ingredients.

Combine lemon juice, vinegar and English mustard in a separate bowl then thoroughly whisk half into the yolk mixture.

Whisking quickly, slowly add oil until the liquid thickens and lightens.

Stream oil in until half is left, then add the rest of the lemon juice mixture.

Whisk in the rest of the oil.

Refrigerate for up to one week.

  If the mayonnaise separates, place a fresh egg yolk in a bowl and slowly whisk in the broken mixture.