Delight Your Guests with Homemade Condiments!

I have to believe that when Duncan Hines first introduced their cake mixes to the world back in the day, they left out the egg and oil for a reason. I think they wanted us to be able to say that we still made it from scratch because we had to add those items! Homemade anything always tastes better than store-bought products. Try some of my recipes for Memorial Day and see for yourself!

Ketchup… we use it on everything. My brother even puts it on his eggs! Why not make it from scratch? Just in time for your Memorial Day—give them the WOW factor. Make the regular old ketchup or add mangoes to it! Just think outside the box and try it! Make regular old mustard or add raspberries to it! Have fun and experiment.

Mustard is one of the least expensive spices and it’s available in a variety of colors and forms. It can add zip to much more than just a hot dog or hamburger and is not difficult to make. You can add almost anything to mustard to make it a gourmet mustard and it makes a great gift. Just put the mustard in a great jar, box it up with some home-baked crackers, and your friends will be impressed and happy. Mustard has no fat and not many calories. The hardest part of making mustard from seeds is waiting those first few days for the flavors to mellow so you can see if it turned out as planned. If you use mustard flour you need only wait ten minutes or so.

I guarantee you that if you try these recipes you will be so proud to use your own condiments and not buy store bought again! The store bought is loaded with salt, sugar and other preservatives. The difference in taste is unbelievable and you can say you made it! And as an added bonus, you will save money, which we all need to do these days.

Easy Basic Homemade Ketchup

Yield: Makes about 2 cups

• 1 (28-oz) can whole tomatoes in purée
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 6 tablespoon tomato paste
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 tsp. of hot smoked paprika

Purée tomatoes in a blender until smooth.

Cook onion in oil in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring, until softened. Add puréed tomatoes, tomato paste, brown sugar, vinegar, and salt, and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until very thick—1 hour or more. Stir more frequently toward the end of cooking to prevent scorching.

Cool ketchup so that you can purée ketchup in two batches in blender until smooth. Chill, covered, overnight for flavors to develop.

Ketchup can be kept up to three weeks.

Easy Basic Homemade Hot Dog Mustard

2 TBS white sugar
2 TBS flour
3 TBS dry mustard
1 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. turmeric

2 cups apple cider vinegar

Mix all dry ingredients together then add vinegar. Boil together until thickened.

Chill, covered, overnight for flavors to develop.

Homemade Pickle Relish

2 cups finely diced cucumber

1 cup finely diced onion

1 tsp. kosher salt

¾ cup apple cider vinegar

¼ cup sugar

2 tsp. cornstarch mixed with 1 ½ tsp. water

Combine and set in strainer for at least 4 hours. Squeeze as much liquid out as you can and then bring vinegar and sugar to a boil and reduce about 5 minutes. Add in cornstarch mixture and simmer several minutes. Then cool several hours.

1 cup diced dill pickle

¼ cup homemade mustard

2 tablespoons pickle brine

2 tablespoon fresh dill, chopped

Combine all ingredients, stir and serve with hot dogs or hamburgers.

For a Great Burger

Pick up some ground chuck with a fat content of at least 20%. 25% would be even better. Lean and extra-lean meats make tough, dry burgers (this is true for turkey burgers or lamb burgers, too-look for grinds with around 25% fat). Don’t overwork the meat.

In a large bowl, pull the meat apart into small chunks, add salt or other seasonings, and toss gently with your fingers. Use wet hands to form burger patties. It also allows the meat to come together faster and prevents over-working. Make burger patties with a dimple in the center. The burger will shrink and pull as it cooks so it will even out. I keep my burgers in the fridge until I am ready to put them on the grill. I think they stay together better that way and they stay juicy.

Keep grill at a steady high heat. With a gas grill, keep the lid down while cooking; with a charcoal grill, leave the lid off. Turn only once! Constant turning will toughen and dry out meat. Cook 2 minutes per side for rare, 3 minutes for medium-rare, 4 for medium, and 5 for well done.

Fresh Cherry BBQ Sauce from Taste of the Nation 2013

We have the honor of being the exclusive caterer at the 2013 Taste of the Nation VIP Reception at Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport.  The event benefits a number of different charities including The Good Shepherd Food Bank, Opportunity Alliance, Cultivating Community, as well as Share Our Strength’s No Kid Hungry Campaign.

One of the dishes that we are serving is a Seared Duck Breast with a Fresh Cherry Barbeque Sauce.  This sauce would go great with any poultry – serve it at your next summer barbeque or let us come prepare it for you!

Fresh Cherry BBQ Sauce

1 Yellow Onion, chopped fine
2 tablespoons Vegetable Oil
1 can Cherry Juice Concentrate
1 cup Red Wine Vinegar
3 Chipotle Peppers, stems removed
4 packages of Dried Sour Cherries
8 cloves of Garlic, chopped fine
1 tablespoon Paprika
2 tablespoons Tomato Paste
1 cup Sour Cherry Preserves
1 jar Roasted Red Peppers, with liquid
2 tablespoons Rye or Bourbon Whiskey
2 tablespoons Sugar
Salt

Directions
In a heavy saucepan, sauté onion in oil until caramelized.  Add cherry juice, vinegar, chipotle peppers, half of the dried sour cherries, garlic, paprika, and roasted red peppers.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until chipotle peppers are completely softened, at least 30 minutes.  Remove from heat and let cool.

In a food processor, puree the mixture together with the remaining half of the dried sour cherries, the tomato paste, roasted red peppers, and cherry preserves until smooth.  Push puree through a mesh strainer into a saucepan.  Add sugar and salt to taste.  Add whiskey and return to stove to bring back to a boil.  Reduce heat and let simmer for another 20 minutes or so.  If needed, add additional sugar/salt.

Maine Potato Salad or Grilled Corn Salad…

I had my face in the sunshine yesterday- and it felt great. Spring has sprung and summer is here. Of course, that makes me want to get the grill going full speed ahead. Summer makes me think of eating out doors and barbecues. The most used modern definition of this is the grilling of meats or other foods over an open fire. It used to be made with charcoal briquettes. But now more often than not with a convenient gas grill. Such a shame- the charcoal brings that charcoal flavor and the smoky aromas.

Barbecue is more than a meal. It is an event. People gather for good barbecue in backyards, beaches and parks. We like the smell, we tell stories and drink while barbecuing.

When the first Spanish explorers arrived in the new world they found people preserving meats in the sun. This is an age old and almost completely universal method. The chief problem with doing this is that the meats spoil and become infested with bugs. To drive the bugs away the natives would built small smoky fires and place the meat on racks over the fires. The smoke would keep the insects at bay and help in the preserving of the meat.

Tradition tells us that this is the origin of barbecue, both in process and in name. The natives of the West Indies had a word for this process, “barbacoa”. Some people believe that this is the origin of our modern word barbecue.

Few things are more reminiscent of summer than the smell of meat on a grill. Americans in particular have an appreciation of the rich flavors of food cooked over a flame. Seventy-seven percent of U.S. households own barbecue grills, firing them up more than 2.9 billion times a year. Barbecue societies are springing up all over the country—and the world—and millions of people flock to barbecue contests each year.

Everything that is typically called barbecue has a couple of things in common. Barbecue requires meat. Sometimes we grill vegetables as well. But unless you are a vegetarian you always have meat.

Barbecue meats are always served with a barbecue sauce. There are many versions of such a sauce, but it is usually based on tomatoes and contains any or all of the following: wine, onions, garlic, herbs, mustard, brown sugar and other seasonings. I am going to add blueberries!

In my line of work I sometimes depend on my instincts and gut feelings. So, when I was asked to write about barbecue- Maine style, I immediately thought about Maine blueberries and Maine potatoes! When I throw New England into the mix I add corn on the cob! So those are the ingredients I am going to use to make my barbecue today!

 

Nancy’s Easy Barbecue Sauce

Combine the following liquids:

• 1 cup water
• ¼ cup cider vinegar
• ¼ cup canola oil
• 1/3 cup Worchester sauce
• juice of 1 lemon
• 2 tablespoon honey
• 2 dashes of Tabasco Sauce

 

Add the following items:

• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 1 ¼ cups of tomato paste
• 1/3 cup of dark brown packed sugar
• (can substitute molasses)
• 1 teaspoon of chili powder or to taste
• 1 Cup or more to your taste blueberries
• Optional:  Chopped Jalapeño pepper with seeds removed. You can add liquid smoke.

 

Directions:

• Pour contents into sauce pan and bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer about 15 minutes until solution thickens.
• Strain contents through fine mesh and adjust seasonings to taste: salt/pepper/etc.
• Use immediately or refrigerate up to a week.

Grilled Maine Potato Salad

 

Make Vinaigrette: 

• ¼ Cup Balsamic Vinegar
• ¾ Cup Extra Virgin Oil
• 2 Tablespoons of Dijon Mustard
• 1 tablespoon of chopped garlic

Other Ingredients: 

• 10 to 12 Par Boiled Maine Potatoes cut into chunks small enough to be grilled
• 2 Sweet Onions Chopped
• Herbs of your choice to include fresh parsley chopped. Rosemary is a good choice, but so is steak seasoning. Any thing is good really.
• Salt & Pepper

Directions:

• Grill Potatoes and mix with vinaigrette and onions, herbs and salt and pepper while hot.

 

Grilled Corn Salad

 

Make Vinaigrette:

• Juice of 1 lime
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 garlic clove minced
• ½ teaspoon of honey
• ¼ Cup of Extra virgin Olive Oil plus 2 tablespoons

 

Other Ingredients:

• 6 ears of corn
• 1 can of black beans or chick peas
• 1 ½ cups of cherry tomatoes
• ½ cup of diced jicama
• ¼ Cup of diced red onions
• 1/ cup of diced peppers
• 1/ cup of diced peppers
• ½ cup of diced peppers
• 2 tablespoons of chopped fresh herbs of your choice
• Salt and pepper

 

Directions:

• Rub corn with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and salt and pepper.
• Grill turning occasionally until charred.
• Remove kernels and mix with other ingredients and vinaigrette.

It’s Grilling Time!

I love grills. They are supposed to be boy toys, but I have the best boy toy grill of all and it’s all mine! It is called the EVO Grill. It is big, stainless steel, shiny and has a flat top with two separate burners. And I am the only caterer in Maine with one! Oh, this is not about grills… It’s all about grilling meats. Sorry I diverted, but you do need the grill to grill meats!

I think the only grilled meat that stands on its own without extra flavoring is a rib eye steak. I believe all other meats need a little help; that is where marinades and rubs enter the picture. Grilled meats are perfect after bathing in a liquid marinade or patted down with a flavorful rub.

Marinating tenderizes the meat and can pack tons of flavor. I use 2 cups of marinade for 2 pounds of meat. I like to marinade in a plastic bag so that I am sure to cover the entire piece of meat. Just remember when you are finished with the marinade in the raw meat, throw the marinade away. Refrigerate the bag and the meat while marinating.

The secrets to tender, moist, and tasty meat is the cut you use and the method in which you cook, how long you cook it, and finally, letting the meat rest so the juices stay in the meat.

The best cut for grilling steaks is one inch thick. The best cut for pork chops is 1 ½ inches thick. If you prefer juicy hamburgers, it is best to choose 20% fat ground beef.

The method of cooking is important as well. You should only turn the meat once.  When using sweet sauces such as barbecue it is wise to apply it only towards the end of cooking because the meat could burn. There is nothing better than the fragrance of grilled meat!

You do not need exotic ingredients to be a good cook. Good marinades and rubs are all ready in your cabinet! For marinades, consider using a bottle of Italian salad dressing or just garlic and olive oil, lemon juice, and dried or fresh herbs. Maybe you make a basic grill rub that I have given you here. Surely these items are in your pantry.

Marinades need some oil, acid, and flavoring. The acids you could use are vinegar, citrus juice, or wine – or even yogurt. The acid works on tenderizing the protein and enhances the other flavors. Therefore, a marinade is a really good idea for a tougher cut of meat, such as flank steak. I usually marinate my meats around 4 hours or so. Who has time to plan any farther in advance?

Rubs are great! You can change the total flavor of the meat with different herbs and spices. Try Latin or Cajun, Spanish or Italian, or Chinese rubs. The possibilities are endless. Just rub the “rub” all over the meat. Let it rest at least 30 minutes. You can create a restaurant taste without the fuss of specialty sauces. Plus, your family and friends will love what you have presented to them to eat!

The age old problem is how long do you cook the meat?  How do I know when it is done? The first piece of advice that I can give you is do not move the meat around. Put it on the grill and give it a chance to sear so that when you do turn it, it will not stick to the grill. Do not cut the meat to see if it is done. Also, this means do not use a fork to pierce the meat while grilling. Use a tong. If you cut or pierce the meat you will release all of the great juices of the meat and it will be very dry. The finger test is the best way to test your meat. A rare meat will feel squishy when you use your index finger to test it. A medium rare meat will feel a little firmer like springy and a well done steak feels really firm and taut like a balloon. Don’t worry; you will learn in time.

Remember to let your meat rest 5 minutes before you serve it or cut into it. Cover it with foil and it will stay hot enough to serve. The meat continues to cook and it will also allow time to re-gather the juices that give it the moist good flavor you want.

From my pantry to yours — try these recipes when you dust off your grill. Happy Grilling!

General Barbecue Rub

• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 2 tablespoons ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 4 tablespoons paprika
• ½ teaspoon dried oregano

Mix well and rub onto meat.

Caribbean Marinade

• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/3 cup rum
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic smashed
• ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper

Mix well to marinate.