The Sauced Chef

Sauce Lab #10:  Eggnog Base

2 Large  bowls

Medium saucepan

Whip

Ladle for tempering

12 oz milk

2 tbsp vanilla extract (or 1 split vanilla bean)

2 egg yolks

1 oz fine granulated sugar

1 oz cake flour

1/2 oz cornstarch

3 oz Grand Marnier

6-8 oz Sauce Lab #10: Creme Chantilly

1. Heat the milk and vanilla to just below boiling point
2. Whip the egg yolks and sugar until pale.  Add the flour and cornstarch and mix well
3. Temper the egg mixture by gradually stirring in about half the hot milk.  Pour this mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk.  Return to a boil, whipping constantly
4. Remove from heat and stir in the Grand Marnier
5. Cover with plastic film** and cool thoroughly, than chill in fridge
6. Once it is cool, beat well until perfectly smooth
7. Fold in creme chantilly

** Just use plastic wrap to cover the pan and throw it in the fridge.  Make sure the plastic wrap actually touches (is flush with) the top of the mixture, this is very important!

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Sauce Lab #9: Creme Chantilly

 Mixer (optional, makes it a lot easier)

2 cups heavy cream or creme fraiche

1/4 confectioner’s sugar

2 tbsp vanilla extract

1. Whip the cream by hand or machine until it forms soft peaks**
2. Add the sugar and vanilla.  Continue to whip until it forms stiff peaks but it still smooth (the consistency of whipped cream or cool whip). Don’t overwhip because the the cream will seperate and you will be left with a dish full of butter, baby!

** Soft peaks just look like little waves in the cream.  Basically view this as the halfway point of thickness

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Sauce Lab #8: Orange Simple Syrup

Small strainer or fine screened tool

1 whole orange (peeled, rinds roughly chopped, pith and inside added whole)

3 cups water

2 cups white sugar

1/2 cup real honey

1. In a medium sauce pan add all the ingredients and bring to a boil
2. Reduce to simmer,  and let it simmer for 30 minutes until thickens
3. Turn off heat and let cool for 1 hour
4. Remove large orange parts and strain
5. Use for cocktail, sweet marinades or sauces

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Sauce Lab #7: Ginger-Honey Simple Syrup

 Small strainer or fine screened tool

1 cup roughly chopped fresh ginger (skin on)

3 cups water

1/2 cup white sugar

2 cups real honey

1. In a medium sauce pan add all the ingredients and bring to a boil
2. Reduce to simmer,  and let it simmer for 30 minutes until thickens
3. Turn off heat and let cool for 1 hour
4. Remove ginger and strain
5. Use for cocktail, sweet marinades or sauces

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Sauce Lab #6: Meatless Mincemeat Sauce

 large pot or kettle

masher

4 cups brown sugar

3 lbs raisins

1 orange (zest the entire orange, rough chop the rinds, squeeze all the juice out)

1 lemon  (zest the entire lemon, rough chop the rinds, squeeze all the juice out)

2 (16 oz.) cans jellied cranberry sauce

8 lbs. tart apples, peeled and cored

2 lbs. currants

1/2 citron (cut fine)

1-2 pints hard cider (I prefer Strongbow)

1 cup chicken stock

1 tsp mace 

1 tsp allspice

S/P TT

1. Combine all ingredients in large kettle, bringing to boil.  (Add only 1 pint of cider in beginning)
2. Mash liberally, until items had roughly the same consistency.  Add remaining pint of cider and bring to boil again
3. Mash, mash and mash some more until you are satisfied with the texture. 
4. Taste and finish with salt and pepper.  You may want to add more mace and allspice if necessary.
5. Jar and store

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Sauce Lab #5: Lemon-Thyme-Beet Vinaigrette

food processor

1/2 cup beet juice (or you can puree 1/4 of a roasted beet)

3 tbsp lemon zest

3 tbsp FRESH thyme

1 cup red wine vinegar

2 tbsp vanilla balsamic (or regular balsamic w/ vanilla extract added)

1 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp honey

3/4 cup salad oil

 S/P TT

1. Add everything but the oil and S/P to the food processor and blend
2. While the food processor is blending slowly pour in the oil (depending on your oilyness preference, you may want to add more oil)
3. Season with S/P till it reaches that tasty pinnacle of zest

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Sauce Lab #4: Roasted Tomato Jus and more

1 sheet pan covered in aluminium foil

2 large bowls

1 fork

12 large tomatoes (halved and cored)

 1/4 extra virgin olive oil

6 rosemary sprigs

10 garlic cloves

S/P TT

1. Preheat oven to 225 degrees
2. After halving (use a serrated knife for this) and coring (use a small little dinky knife) the tomatoes add them to a bowl and toss with olive oil and a couple pinches salt and pepper
3. Once coated place tomato halves on sheet pan
4. Liberally distribute the rosemary sprigs and garlic around the tomatoes
5. Place in oven, roast for about 20 minutes
6. Pull out sheet pan and use fork to remove skin from all tomatoes (this is a pain in the ass, but totally worth it)
7. Drain juice or Sauce Lab #4 Roasted Tomato Jus from sheet pan into large bowl
8. Continue to roast and drain for about another hour or until the tomatoes have barely any moisture left
9. Store and/or freeze roasted tomatoes and use for anything (sauces, stuffing, pizza, bruschetta, etc)
10. Store and/or freeze Sauce Lab #4 Roasted Tomato Jus and use for anything
11. Store and/or freeze tomato/rosemary roasted garlic (great for pizza topping or adding subtle garlic flavor without the bite)
12. Get Sauced?

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Sauce Lab #3: Strawberry-Basil Simple Syrup

 Small strainer or fine screened tool

6 Fresh Strawberries

10 Fresh Basil Leaves

3 cups water

1 cup white sugar

½ cup real honey

1.  In a medium sauce pan add all the ingredients and bring to a boil
2. Reduce to simmer,  and let it simmer for 30 minutes until thickens
3. Turn off heat and let cool for 1 hour
4. Remove basil/strawberries and strain
5. Use for cocktail, sweet marinades or sauces

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