Condiments

Mike $

Mike $

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Anyone got some good recipes for homemade condiments? I love to make my own. Mine are all vegetarian versions if they normally come with things I don't eat. Leave a recipe that you have actually made yourself and are proud of for us all to try out.
 
Russian Dressing
Here's one of my favorites, it's easy to make, just measure everything and mix it up in a bowl:
1 cup Mayonaise (Veganaise works perfectly if you are a vegan)
1/4 cup of Horse Raddish (measure, then squeeze out as much liquid as possible through a cheese cloth or dish rag)
1/4 cup Chili Sauce
1 TBS finely chopped Onion
1 tsp Hot Sauce ( I currently use Cholula, it's my favorite)
1 tsp Worcestershire Sauce (I make my own vegetarian version, since the classic has anchovies)
Mix it all together then store in a 12 oz jar in the fridge. It lasts a couple/three months.

I use it on sandwiches...always on the Monte Cristo, and occasionally a salad.
 
I make a seed butter.

3 cups sunflower seeds
1 cup pumpkin seeds

Toast to whatever level of toasty seed quality you desire. Let cool. Blitz in food processor (it does work it just takes time to convert to butter... Usually requires a few scrapings of the bowl). When it's at butter consistency (and this is variable, it'll not be super smooth, but not crumbly), I add a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup, a generous sprinkle of coarse sea salt, and a tablespoon or two of ghee (which would work for vegans but ok for many vegetarians). Blitz it to mix everything together well. Store in a jar for a few weeks on the shelf. Will go rancid eventually so best used fresh.
 
Herb butters

I take about 1/4 to 1/3 cup softened butter and thoroughly blend in finely chopped fresh herbs, and use that on anything. My favourite is nasturtium flower butter, but I also like chive butter or basil butter. This is a summer only thing in our house, because I pick the herbs fresh.
 
Herb pesto

This goes on steamed new potatoes. I usually have oregano, summer savory, thyme, chives (leaves and flowers) and fresh calendula flowers, but I might also toss in lemon balm, stinging nettles, sorrel, basil... Depending on my mood and what's available. Blitz then with enough olive oil to just make them into a paste. Best potato salad, especially with dried olives, but it's also good with a pasta or used to dress up quinoa or similar.
 
ploverwing said:
Herb pesto

This goes on steamed new potatoes. I usually have oregano, summer savory, thyme, chives (leaves and flowers) and fresh calendula flowers, but I might also toss in lemon balm, stinging nettles, sorrel, basil... Depending on my mood and what's available. Blitz then with enough olive oil to just make them into a paste. Best potato salad, especially with dried olives, but it's also good with a pasta or used to dress up quinoa or similar.
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ploverwing said:
Herb butters

I take about 1/4 to 1/3 cup softened butter and thoroughly blend in finely chopped fresh herbs, and use that on anything. My favourite is nasturtium flower butter, but I also like chive butter or basil butter. This is a summer only thing in our house, because I pick the herbs fresh.
Click to expand...
ploverwing said:
I make a seed butter.

3 cups sunflower seeds
1 cup pumpkin seeds

Toast to whatever level of toasty seed quality you desire. Let cool. Blitz in food processor (it does work it just takes time to convert to butter... Usually requires a few scrapings of the bowl). When it's at butter consistency (and this is variable, it'll not be super smooth, but not crumbly), I add a couple of tablespoons of maple syrup, a generous sprinkle of coarse sea salt, and a tablespoon or two of ghee (which would work for vegans but ok for many vegetarians). Blitz it to mix everything together well. Store in a jar for a few weeks on the shelf. Will go rancid eventually so best used fresh.
Click to expand...
These are fantastic ploverwing. I'll be trying them all eventually. Seed butter first.
 
Mike $ said:
These are fantastic ploverwing. I'll be trying them all eventually. Seed butter first.
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The seed butter is a staple here. Really, you can use any nut or seed I believe. And of course, riff with the proportions to get the flavour profile you like. I hope you find something that works well for you, it's A LOT cheaper than buying the final product. Especially if you buy high quality raw materials in bulk.
 
I'll make vegan pesto for pasta, also coat it all over a chicken to roast, also on a ready made pizza crust when I don't use tomato sauce.
Pack of fresh basil leaves, pine nuts that I toast, extra virgin olive oil, vegan parmesan I get from Whole Foods, minced garlic, light salt, pepper and a splash of lemon juice and some pasta or warm water.

This next one might not count exactly as home made since all I do is mix two different bottled organic BBQ sauce from Hak's, Chipotle Bourbon and Smoked Maple Mustard. Probably the best BBQ sauce I've ever tasted.
 
Not everything I make comes from Serious Eats, but it does form a large part of my modern recipe book. Here are a couple of favorites.

www.seriouseats.com

Zhug (Yemenite Hot Sauce With Cilantro and Parsley) Recipe

Zhug is a fresh, bright Middle Eastern hot sauce akin to chimichurri, chermoula, and salsa verde.
www.seriouseats.com www.seriouseats.com
www.seriouseats.com

Chimichurri Sauce Recipe

Dried oregano, fresh parsley, dried chile pepper, garlic, oil, and red wine vinegar come together in a tangy sauce that works wonders on steak—and everything else.
www.seriouseats.com www.seriouseats.com
www.seriouseats.com

Tahini Sauce With Garlic and Lemon Recipe

The technique of blending whole unpeeled garlic with lemon to make tahini sauce was something I read in Michael Solomonov's Zahav. With this much garlic you'd think it'd be overwhelming, but don't worry, it stays quite mild due to blending it in the lemon juice.
www.seriouseats.com www.seriouseats.com

Roasted garlic herb butter's also great: cut off the top of a head of garlic, drizzle some oil, wrap it in foil, then toss it in the air fryer for 15-20 minutes. When it's done, squeeze out the garlic and let it cool, then fold it into softened butter.

Flavored cremas go well with Mexican food: pick your flavor (lime or herbs or chipotles or whatever), whisk it into some sour cream, and drizzle in just enough water to make it pourable.
 
Wow that zhug sounds amazing! Although, I have a hard time with chili spices, so I might have to sub out something else that's warming rather than a chili.
 
ploverwing said:
Wow that zhug sounds amazing! Although, I have a hard time with chili spices, so I might have to sub out something else that's warming rather than a chili.
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I understand that if you remove the seeds and ribs of a habanero pepper, it's much less spicy and very flavorful.
 
I love sauerkraut, but I don't care too much for the taste of sauerkraut in a can. Long ago I learned how to make it fresh. It's very easy and really delicious. I put a half a teaspoon of salt on top of 8 ounces of shredded cabbage and squeeze it until the cabbage is soft and there is a good amount of liquid in the bottom of the bowl. I put the cabbage and the liquid in a jar and top it off with some extra brine (1/2 teaspoon of salt dissolved in 3/4 cup of boiling water, cooled down). You can add a bit of shredded carrots, or a bit of caraway seeds if you like. Cover jar with loosely sealed lid and wait 4 or 5 days, until it is as sour as you like. It is even good the next or the same day.
 
Fresh made sauerkraut is really the best. I am lucky that there are a number of places that make and sell really good stuff locally. I have tried and tried and tried to make sauerkraut, but mine goes sour in an unpleasant manner pretty quickly. I've tried a few different variations on the theme with climate control and salt levels and other additives, but if I make it, it just doesn't seem to work.
 
ploverwing said:
Fresh made sauerkraut is really the best. I am lucky that there are a number of places that make and sell really good stuff locally. I have tried and tried and tried to make sauerkraut, but mine goes sour in an unpleasant manner pretty quickly. I've tried a few different variations on the theme with climate control and salt levels and other additives, but if I make it, it just doesn't seem to work.
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If I make too much, it goes bad. But if I make a cup or two it doesn't have time to go too sour.
 
Mike $ said:
I love sauerkraut, but I don't care too much for the taste of sauerkraut in a can. Long ago I learned how to make it fresh. It's very easy and really delicious. I put a half a teaspoon of salt on top of 8 ounces of shredded cabbage and squeeze it until the cabbage is soft and there is a good amount of liquid in the bottom of the bowl. I put the cabbage and the liquid in a jar and top it off with some extra brine (1/2 teaspoon of salt dissolved in 3/4 cup of boiling water, cooled down). You can add a bit of shredded carrots, or a bit of caraway seeds if you like. Cover jar with loosely sealed lid and wait 4 or 5 days, until it is as sour as you like. It is even good the next or the same day.
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Sauerkraut is not a condiment but the main course!
 
when you run out of French Onion Dip and you want some, it's a pain in the rear because it usually happens to me pretty late at night right around time for a salty snack. So, I learned to make it myself, and happily it is made from things I usually have around the house...well, around the kitchen.

French Onion Dip:
In a small bowl, combine everything, stir, over and refrigerate an hour or more.

-1 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
-1 1/2 Tablespoon (TBS) Dried Onion Flakes
-1 1/2 teaspoon (tsp) Onion Powder
-3/4 tsp Garlic Powder
-1 TBS Fresh Parsley, finely chopped
-1/4 tsp +/- salt
-Pepper to taste
-1/2 tsp Browning Sauce (Kitchen Bouquet or similar) optional, but highly recommended
Pretty dang delicious
 
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Ran out of mayo the other day and thought I'd try making some mayo once more....the first time it wasn't that great. So, I had some canola oil and corn oil and thought I'd do a 50/50 mix of the two oils. My recipe called for an egg, some salt, vinegar, lemon juice, and some dijon mustard. The mayo turned out great. For the price of a cup of oil, an egg, and other staples vs the cost of a jar of mayo, it's very cost effective. The only drawback is shelf life. I guess I have to see how much mayo I go through in two weeks(max) and adjust my recipe accordingly.
 
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