Asher Sauce

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Island legend holds that the name of this sauce is a corruption of 
“Limes Ashore!”, the phrase called out by British sailors who found 
limes growing on the Virgin Islands. The limes, originally planted by 
the Spanish, would save them from scurvy. I guess that the bird peppers 
would save them from bland food. Add this sauce to seafood chowders or 
grilled fish. Note: This recipes requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

15 limes, Key limes preferred
1 cup salt
10 whole bird peppers such as piquins or chiltepíns or 2 habaneros, halved
3 cups water
1/2 cup vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
2 cardamom pods
1 tablespoon whole cloves
5 allspice berries
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, sliced
1 bunch green onions, white part only, chopped

Instructions

Quarter the limes but do not cut all the way through. Open up each lime 
and rub them with salt. Place the limes on cutting boards, cover them 
with cheesecloth, and set them in the sun for about a week. Protect them 
from rain.
The limes will shrink and their skins will turn brown. Rinse the limes 
to remove as much salt as possible. Place the limes in a large pan, 
cover with water, and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, 
reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 1 hour. Cool and strain the 
sauce. It will keep for several weeks in the refrigerator.

Saba Scotch Bonnet Sauce

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From the Netherlands Antilles' island of Saba comes this simple, 
steeped hot sauce that graces seafood dishes or simple rice. Malt 
vinegar, made from malted barley, is the secret taste ingredient. 
Because of the vinegar, this sauce can be kept for a month or so in the 
refrigerator.

Ingredients

1 Scotch bonnet chile (or habanero), seeds and stem removed, minced
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup malt vinegar
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup olive oil

Instructions

Place the chile, onion, and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Combine 
the vinegar, water and salt in a saucepan and bring to a strong boil. 
Add the boiling mixture over the chile mixture, stirring constantly. Add 
the oil and stir well.

Remoulade Sauce

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This is a classic Louisiana recipe with French roots. It’s traditionally 
made with mayonnaise, but mine is a more heart-healthy version. This 
sauce is great with shrimp, over sliced tomatoes, with pasta, over 
vegetables and cold meats, in chicken or potato salad, or as an 
ingredient in deviled eggs.

Ingredients

1/2 cup Creole mustard, store-bought or homemade
1/4 cup catsup
1/4 cup cider vinegar
2 tablespoons grated horseradish, or substitute prepared horseradish, 
store-bought
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon ground paprika
1 teaspoon Louisiana-style hot sauce or substitute ground cayenne
2/3 cup olive oil
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped celery
1 tablespoon minced capers
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
Salt to taste

Instructions

Combine the mustard, catsup, vinegar, horseradish, Worcestershire, 
garlic, paprika, and hot sauce in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Slowly add the oil while continuing to whisk to emulsify the sauce.
Fold in the remaining ingredients, taste, and adjust the seasonings.
Allow the sauce to sit for an hour to blend the flavors.

Homemade Tabasco®-Style Sauce

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The U.S.A. has become one of the world's largest producers of hot sauces 
and the flagship of the hot sauce fleet is Tabasco®, which is exported 
all over the world from Avery Island, Louisiana. Because the chiles in 
mash form are not aged in oak barrels for three years, this recipe will 
be only a rough approximation of the famous McIlhenny product. You will 
have to grow your own tabascos or substitute dried ones that have been 
rehydrated. Other small, hot, fresh red chiles can also be substituted 
for the tabascos. Note: This recipe requires advance preparation.

Ingredients

1 pound fresh red tabasco chiles, chopped
2 cups distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons salt

Instructions

Combine the chiles and the vinegar in a saucepan and heat. Stir in the 
salt and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, cool, and place in 
a blender. Puree until smooth and place in a glass jar. Allow to steep 
for 2 weeks in the refrigerator.
Remove, strain the sauce, and adjust the consistency by adding more 
vinegar if necessary.

Keeping “Pace®” with Picante Sauces

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Although most commercial salsas and picante sauces are made from similar 
ingredients, their flavors differ because of spices, cooking techniques, 
and the proportion of ingredients. Perhaps this home-cooked version 
outdoes the original of the best-selling American salsa--you tell me. It 
is important to use only Mexican oregano, as Mediterranean oregano will 
make this taste like a pasta sauce.

Ingredients

6 to 8 ripe red tomatoes (about 4 pounds), peeled, seeded, and chopped fine
2 onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cider vinegar
2 teaspoons Mexican oregano
1 tablespoon tomato paste
Salt to taste
6 jalapeño chiles, seeds and stems removed, chopped

Instructions

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine the tomatoes, onions, garlic, 
vinegar, oregano, and salt. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and cook 
for 15 minutes on medium heat to thicken the sauce.
Add the jalapeños and continue cooking for 15 more minutes. Remove from 
the heat, cool to room temperature, and serve with chips.