mushroom sherry sauce
Mushrooms simmered in sherry and sweet and savory seasonings—an elegant, yet hearty sauce.
YIELDS 3 CUPS
TIME: 30 MINUTES
2 cups chopped onions
2 tablespoons butter or olive oil
12 ounces cremini or moonlight mushrooms, sliced (about 4 cups)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground sage or poultry seasoning
¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
¼ teaspoon black pepper
½ cup dry sherry
1 tablespoon unbleached white flour
In a covered saucepan on medium heat, cook the onions in the butter or oil for about 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Increase the heat and add the mushrooms, salt, sage, nutmeg, and pepper and cook covered for 3 or 4 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to release liquid. Add the sherry and cook uncovered for 5 minutes.
In a cup, combine the flour and ¼ cup of water to make a smooth paste. Whisk the paste into the mushrooms and cook on low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened.
serving & menu ideas
Stir into hot pasta and top with grated cheese. Excellent on fish, rice, and baked or mashed potatoes. This sauce is even hearty enough to serve as a meal over toast points.
brown butter sauce
We developed this little sauce, so easily made, to serve on Seared Scallops. But it’s so good that soon we were drizzling it on plain vegetables, fish, and grains, too.
YIELDS ½ CUP
TIME: 10 MINUTES
½ cup butter
2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
In a small pan on medium-low heat, melt the butter. Simmer for about 4 minutes until the butter melts and the solids sink to the bottom and very soon after turn brown—the butter will become nut-brown in color. Watch it closely because it can turn from nicely nutty brown to badly scorched in the wink of an eye. Remove from the heat, strain through a small sieve if you like, and stir in the balsamic vinegar.
Brown Butter Sauce keeps in the refrigerator for about 2 weeks, and it reheats nicely in a microwave oven.
simple tomato sauce
YIELDS 3 CUPS
TIME: 15 MINUTES
6 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 28-ounce can of plum tomatoes
fresh chopped basil to taste
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon black pepper
In a saucepan on low heat, cook the garlic in the oil for a couple of minutes, until golden. Stir in the juice from the can of tomatoes.
Squeeze the tomatoes with your hand to crush them or cut them coarsely with a knife or kitchen scissors while they’re still in the can. Add them to the garlic with the basil, salt, and pepper, bring to a simmer, and cook on low heat for at least 5 minutes.
variations
• Cook about a cup of chopped onions with the garlic.
• Before adding the garlic, cook some diced vegetables, such as zucchini, bell peppers, or carrots, in the oil until soft.
• Add chopped roasted red peppers.
• Add ½ teaspoon of oregano or crushed red pepper flakes.
• Purée the sauce in a blender until smooth.
• Stir about ¼ cup of cream cheese or sour cream into the sauce just before serving.
• Add a couple of tablespoons of capers, sliced olives, and some red pepper flakes for a quick puttanesca sauce.
serving & menu ideas
Ladle over pasta, rice, polenta, broiled fish, breaded and baked eggplant rounds, or even fried eggs on toast. Dress up steamed cauliflower or green beans, or use it as the sauce for Seitan Pizza Subs.
classic pesto
YIELDS 1 CUP
TIME: 10 MINUTES
⅓ cup toasted pine nuts, almonds, or walnuts, or a mixture
1 garlic clove
2 cups packed fresh basil leaves (about 2½ ounces)
⅓ cup olive oil
¼ teaspoon salt
pinch of black pepper
⅓ cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
In the bowl of a food processor, pulse the nuts and garlic until crumbly. Add the basil, oil, salt, pepper, and grated cheese and process until fairly smooth.
variations
Use soy or rice Parmesan for a vegan variation.
If your basil supply is limited, or if you prefer a milder flavor, substitute spinach leaves for up to half of the basil.
Add a touch of lemon juice or some chopped tomatoes.
planning tip
In the summer, when basil is abundant and reasonably priced, make pesto for your freezer. (Multiply this recipe for the amount of basil you have.) Omit the cheese and freeze the mixture in ice cube trays. When they’re frozen, pop the cubes out and store in a freezer bag, where they will keep for months. Then, when you’re ready for a taste of summer, defrost some cubes and purée with the cheese. The frozen cubes are also handy for tossing into soups, stews, and sauces for a quick flavor boost.
serving & menu ideas
Pasta tossed with pesto and topped with chopped tomatoes is one of our favorite simple suppers. Or stir some pesto into cooked rice or other grains. It also makes a nice sandwich spread—try it on Tortilla Melt or a cheese and tomato sandwich. Toss some with leftover pasta and add a few steamed or raw vegetables for a quick pasta salad.
herbed hummus
YIELDS 1½ CUPS
TIME: 30 MINUTES
HANDS-ON TIME: 15 MINUTES
CHILLING TIME: AT LEAST 15 MINUTES
1 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained
¼ cup tahini
3 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon salt
1 garlic clove, sliced or chopped
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1 scallion, chopped (optional)
Put the chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, salt, garlic, and 3 tablespoons of water into the bowl of a food processor. Purée until smooth and creamy, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl if necessary. Add the parsley, dill, and scallions. Pulse just until the herbs are integrated; the hummus should be beige with flecks of green rather than a uniform pale green.
Add more lemon juice and salt to taste. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes so the
