In classic French cuisine, there was a time when the appearance of even a trace amount of fat on the surface of a sauce meant that the sauce had broken, the result of a careless or inept chef.
These days, however, our views of what makes a sauce a sauce have changed.
Thanks to a merging of cuisines and because sometimes diners are simply looking for healthier options to rich sauces, we now have all sorts of creative and tasty saucing alternatives and zesty counterpoints to a lovely smoked chop or grilled breast of chicken.
And so, a new genre of sauces has emerged. Unannounced, and unheralded as a movement with a catchy name, they’ve been categorized into separate realms as chutneys, salsas, vinaigrettes, pestos, stock and vinegar reductions, juices and infused oils.
Compared to traditional mainstays like the rich and regal browns and whites, the hollandaise or the Bernaise, this new group brings a greater range of color, flavor and texture to the table.
And when viewed in this new light — as one dynamic family — they represent the shift in American food philosophies toward a healthier, fresher and more eclectic cuisine.
One of my favorites in this realm of sauces is the vinaigrette.
In one manner, it has become popular to serve the components of the vinaigrette — oil and vinegar — separately on the plate. In Mediterranean cuisines, it’s a particularly popular method for presenting condiments.
Filet of pork with rosemary-apple vinaigrette
2 (1 to 1½ pound) pork tenderloins
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
½ cup rosemary-apple Vinaigrette (for the marinade; recipe follows)
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Additional rosemary-apple Vinaigrette (NOT used in the marinade)
Using a sharp knife, trim all fat and silver skin from the tenderloins and set aside.
In a medium bowl, combine the mustard, vinaigrette and vegetable oil and whisk to combine. Transfer contents to a resealable plastic bag and add the tenderloins. Turn the tenderloins so that they are evenly coated with the marinade, then seal the bag, trying to remove as much air as possible. Refrigerate for at least 45 minutes (or up to 24 hours) before proceeding.
To cook, either select the stove-top/oven option, or the grill option.
Stove-top and oven option: Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Heat a large oven-proof saute pan or skillet over high heat. When hot, add the tenderloins and brown on all sides, turning occasionally to ensure even cooking, about 6 minutes.
Food safety note: Discard the marinade; Do NOT use it as a sauce over the cooked meat.
Transfer the pan to the oven and cook until the tenderloins are medium to medium-well, or registers 140 to 150 degrees on a meat thermometer, about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove the meat from the oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Grill-option: Preheat grill. Place tenderloins on rack and grill over medium-high heat, turning every 4 minutes or so until all sides are browned and the tenderloins are cooked to desired stage of doneness.
Food safety note: Discard the marinade; Do NOT use it as a sauce over the cooked meat.
Total cooking time, about 15 to 18 minutes. Remove meat from the grill and allow to rest for 5 minutes before serving.
Slice the meat into 1/2-inch thick slices on the diagonal, and serve immediately with some of the remaining rosemary-apple vinaigrette that never came in contact with the raw pork.
Makes 6 generous servings
Rosemary-apple vinaigrette
1 (4 ounce) tart apple (such as a Granny Smith), cored, peeled and cut into ¼-inch thick slices
¼ cup apple cider vinegar, plus 2 tablespoons
2 tablespoons minced shallots
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon green onion (white portion)
1½ teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon soy sauce
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon green onions
½ cup vegetable oil
Combine the apples, cider vinegar, shallots, sugar, rosemary and black pepper in a skillet and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer until the apples are tender, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a blender or food processor.
Add the green onions, mustard, soy sauce, and salt, and puree on high speed. With the motor running, add the oil in a thin stream and process until emulsified (the mixture will appear thick, with the consistency similar to mayonnaise, only looser). Remove from the blender and refrigerate in an airtight container until ready to use.
Makes about 1 2/3 cups of a creamy vinaigrette.
This vinaigrette is wonderful with grilled, poached, or steamed fish or shellfish. It uses hot tomato coulis (chopped tomatoes lightly sauted in oil) as the emulsifier and is given extra flavor and complexity with a reduced broth.
The vinaigrette is then combined with “beurre fondu,” also known as emulsified butter.
Hot tomato vinaigrette
¼ cup finely chopped shallot
1 clove garlic, peeled, crushed and chopped
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups broth (either vegetable or chicken)
4 ripe Roma-style tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 fresh thyme sprig
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper to taste
In a pan, saute the shallot and garlic in 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium low heat.
Add the broth and simmer until the liquid has been reduced to 1/2 cup.
Tip: To determine what level the broth will be at when it has reduced to 1/2 cup, first fill the pan with 1/2 cup of water, then stick a chopstick or knife into the liquid and mark the level it reaches on the chopstick or knife.
Add the tomatoes and sprig of fresh thyme and cook until the liquid from the tomatoes has mostly reduced and the liquid thickens a bit.
Meanwhile, prepare the beurre fondu by heating the lemon juice and water, then whisking in the butter.
Scrape the tomato broth mixture into a blender. Add the balsamic vinegar and the red wine vinegar and blend briefly, just to puree the tomatoes. Scrape the mixture into a small bowl, then whisk in the beurre fondu and remaining 4 tablespoons of olive oil.
Adjust the sauces seasonings by adding additional vinegar, olive oil, a bit of butter, as well as salt and pepper to taste.
Makes about 2 cups.
Baked halibut with hot tomato vinaigrette
1 recipe hot tomato vinaigrette (see recipe above)
4 Kalamata or other brine-cured large black olives, pitted and chopped fine
2 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
2 teaspoons minced fresh thyme leaves
3 10- to 12-ounce pieces of halibut fillet, halved crosswise
¼ cup stock (either fish stock, vegetable stock, or chicken stock)
2 tablespoons dry white wine
Fresh thyme leaves for garnish
Prepare the hot tomato vinaigrette and set aside in a small pot. You will re-heat it right before serving.
Preheat oven to 425 degrees, and butter a baking dish just large enough to hold the fillets in one layer. Sprinkle the olives, shallots, parsley, and thyme evenly over the bottom of the dish and arrange the fillets on top, seasoning them with salt and pepper. Add the stock and white wine, then cover the fillets with a buttered piece of wax paper or parchment.
Bake fish on the middle rack in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes (depending on thickness of fillets; figure on about 10 minutes per inch of thickness), or just until cooked through.
Transfer the fillets to a large warm platter and keep warm. Pour the cooking liquid (with all the goodies) into the pot with the hot tomato vinaigrette, whisk and warm.
Serve the fish, garnished with additional thyme sprigs and the hot tomato vinaigrette.
Makes 6 servings.
Jan Roberts-Dominguez is a Corvallis, Ore., food writer, artist and author of “Oregon Hazelnut Country, the Food, the Drink, the Spirit,” and four other cookbooks. Readers can contact her at janrd@proaxis.com, or check out her blog at www.janrd.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
