This version of classic Thanksgiving cranberry sauces mixes it up with the addition of Angostura Bitters. Angostura Bitters have some great spice notes reminiscent of classic holiday flavors, like allspice and cloves, so their use in this sauce works wonderfully.

Angostura Cranberry Sauce

Ingredients

• 12 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 cup turbinado sugar
• juice of 1 orange
• 1/2 cup water
• zest from half a lemon
• 2 teaspoons Angostura Bitters

Preparation

1. In a large pot, heat cranberries, sugar, orange juice, water and lemon zest over medium-high heat. Stir frequently to dissolve the sugar and wait for the majority of cranberries to pop.
2. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 10 minutes.
3. Stir in Angostura Bitters, transfer to heat-resistant bowl, and let cool before serving.

Romesco is a delicious Spanish sauce made with roasted peppers and nuts. It is typically thickened with bread crumbs, which don’t add anything to the flavor. To make this recipe gluten-free we just left them out. Johnson’s Backyard Garden has a lot of delicious sweet peppers right  now – including red carmens, orange yummies (my favorite), and yellow ringos – that would be great in this recipe. The sauce can be used in place of tomato marinara or served cold with a crudité.

Ingredients

• 1 pound sweet peppers, roasted and peeled
• 1/4 pound ripe tomatoes, roasted
• 2 medium garlic cloves, peeled
• 1/4 cup whole blanched almonds
• 1 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1/2 tablespoon sherry (optional)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Pulse peppers, tomatoes, garlic, and almonds in a food processor until thoroughly chopped.
2. Blend the ingredients and add vinegar, sherry, and olive oil.
3. Season with salt and pepper, then serve.

This quick and simple sauce goes great with spring rolls, grilled tofu, or on a veggie wrap!

Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 spring onion, minced
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 Thai chili, minced (optional)
• 5-6 tablespoons hot water

Preparation

1. Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, spring onion, garlic, and chili in a small bowl. 
2. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is at the desired consistency.

Pickled jalapenos

Ingredients

• 2  pounds fresh jalapeno peppers, halved
• 3-6 whole large cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 tablespoon whole cumin seed
• 3 cups distilled white vinegar or cider vinegar
• 3 cups water
• 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons sugar

Preparation

1. Divide peppers among 6 one-pint canning jars. Divide the garlic evenly among the jars.
2. Combine vinegar, water, cumin, salt, and sugar in a large saucepan. Bring to a boil and stir until the salt and sugar dissolve. Boil for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
3. Carefully fill jars with brine to within 1/2 inch of the rim, covering the peppers completely.
4. Place the lids on the jars and process in boiling water for at least 10 minutes.
5. Carefully remove jars from water using a jar lifter.  Allow the jars to cool to room temperature then test the lids. If they are not set consider reprocessing (or making refrigerator pickles).
6. Store in a cool dark place until you are ready to use. Refrigerate once opened.

Note: if you want to make more flavorful Mexican-style pickles consider adding a couple carrot and onion slices to each jar in step 1.

This red sauce is made mainly from dried Mexican guajillo chili peppers, which have an amazingly rich flavor, especially when fried a little.  Also, this sauce isn’t just for enchiladas – it also goes great as a dipping sauce for tortilla chips or as a table condiment for your next Mexican meal.

Red Sauce for Enchiladas

Ingredients

• 8 large dried guajillo chilis
• 2 dried chipotle peppers
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 large white onion, diced
• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium red tomatoes, diced (2-3 canned whole tomatoes can be substituted)
• 1/2 tablespoon Mexican oregano

Preparation

1. Boil dried guajillo and chipotle peppers in a pot of water until softened, about 10 minutes.
2. Drain the water and, when the peppers are cool enough to handle, remove the steams.
   Tip: If you are making broth from Better-than-Bouillon or a cube, reserve some of the pepper water for the broth!
3. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a large skillet. Fry the softened peppers for a minute on each side on high heat until fragrant. Remove from heat.  Leave the leftover oil in the skillet and remove the skillet from heat.
4. Transfer peppers to a blender. Add the broth and puree until smooth.
5. Reheat oil in the skillet and saute bell pepper, onion, garlic, tomatoes, and oregano until the peppers are soft, about 10 minutes. Add the pepper puree and continue cooking for another minute or two.  Season with salt to taste and serve!

Note: If desired, you can blend the sauce again for a completely smooth sauce, but I like it with the strips of pepper and diced onions.

Grapefruit Blinker Marmalade

A Blinker is a classic cocktail made with 2 ounces rye, 1 ounce grapefruit juice, and a teaspoon of grenadine. This marmalade is inspired by the cocktail and everything else that tastes good with grapefruit.

Ingredients

• 2 medium grapefruits
• 1 medium orange
• 1 lemon
• 4 cups raw sugar, divided
• 2 tablespoons chopped ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 4 ounces rye whiskey

Preparation

1. Juice the grapefruits and orange. Finely chop the rinds and combine with the juice in a large non-reactive soup pot.
2. Zest and juice the whole lemon. Add the lemon zest and juice, chopped ginger, salt, water, and two cups of sugar to the pot.
3. Bring the mixture to a simmer, stirring frequently, and cook for 10 minutes.
4. Remove the mixture from heat. Cover and let stand at room temperature overnight.
5. Once the mixture has matured, add the remaining two cups of sugar and rye whiskey. Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Stir frequently to prevent the mixture from burning and continue to simmer until, using a candy thermometer, the mixture reaches  220 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have to increase the heat-level to reach the right temperature be sure to increase the frequency of your stirring as well.
6. Remove from heat, and ladle into sterilized half-pint canning jars, leaving 1/4-inch head space. Wipe rims, seal jars and process in a boiling water bath for 10 minutes.
7. Carefully remove the jars from the water bath and let cool for 24 hours. Test the seals then store in a cool, dark place until ready to use or serve.

Makes 4 half-pints

This very basic gravy is delicious as is, but it also can be seasoned a thousand different ways. If desired you can transform the flavor by adding diced onions, garlic, or shallots with the mushrooms. Adding a tablespoon of port or red wine to finish the saute will add extra depth and umami. The flavor can also be transformed with the addition of rubbed sage or minced fresh herbs in the last step.

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons rice flour
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil and mushrooms. Saute for just a minute or two over high heat until the mushrooms have expressed their liquid.
2. Reduce heat to medium and add broth. Slowly sprinkle in the rice flour, whisking continuously to prevent lumps from forming.
3. Bring the gravy to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer. Allow to reduce and simmer for about 1 minute until the gravy thickens to the desired consistency.
4. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cilantro Lime Aioli

Use this sauce to give a fresh lime kick to your next dish!

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise substitute
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 4 key limes, juiced
• Salt to taste

Preparation

Combine ingredients in a blender and process until smooth.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/4 cup rice flour
• 1/2 cup raw walnuts, ground
• 1  cup vegetable stock
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Over medium-low heat, fry rice flour in olive oil, stirring constantly, until slightly golden, about 1 minute.
2. Add ground walnuts, vegetable stock, lemon juice, and pepper, and increase to high heat.
3. Bring liquid to a boil, whisking occasionally, then reduce heat to medium. Continue to simmer until gravy thickens, about 2 minutes.
4. Season with salt to taste.

Traditional Ají Verde uses green rocoto peppers which have a simple mild flavor but a heat level similar to a jalapeno.  This ají pairs green peppers with a variety of herbs and the resulting hot sauce adds an absolutely delicious and colorful punch to some of Peru’s rich and creamy entrees and starters.

• 

  Aji Verde

  Procedure1 pound seeded green peppers (try a blend of green bells and jalapenos)

• ½ cup parsley
• ¼ cup savory mint
• ¼ cup cilantro
• 2 spring onions
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 key limes, juiced
• Salt

1. Blend peppers, herbs, garlic, and oil in a blender or food processer. Add enough water, 1 teaspoon at a time, to encourage complete liquefaction.
2. Season with salt to taste.