Marinades and Sauces – Page 7

Habanero Cream Sauce

Now here’s a hearty sauce that’ll wake you right up! Habanero cream sauce can bring life to all sorts of dishes, from drizzling it on top of enchiladas to flavoring a hearty soup. Try it, too, on pasta or simply as a sauce topping for fresh vegetables like broccoli …

Fresh And Fiery Mole Verde

by Matt Bray

A fresh take on mole…

When you think of mole, most think of the popular red mole sauce (mole poblano). Though mole verde (a.k.a. green mole sauce) is just as tasty, but in quite different ways. Think fresh, spicy, and slightly tart with mole verde instead of the earthy and slightly sweet taste of red mole sauce.

Tomatillo and serrano peppers provide the flavor pop here. No, this mole doesn’t use any of the holy trinity of dried chilies typical of red mole (ancho, guajillo, or pasilla) opting instead for the bright garden fresh bite of fresh serrano. This is a delicious sauce over pork dishes and enchiladas. It’s also quite good as a topper for fish tacos.

If you’re looking for an easy take on red mole, take a look at our recipe here. It’s easy to make with any well-stocked spice rack.

Chipotle Alfredo Sauce

by Matt Bray

Creamy with a touch of fire and smoke…

A simple pasta with alfredo sauce is made into something more dramatic with the inclusion of smoky chipotle peppers. Canned chipotle in adobo sauce brings a touch of smoke and fire to the table. It’s a delicious combo with the simple creaminess of alfredo sauce. Pair it with chicken or shrimp for a more hearty meal. Or thicken up the sauce a bit with some extra simmering time for something more dip-worthy.

If smokiness is not your thing, but you’re still looking for a fiery kick to your alfredo sauce, take a look at this delicious alternative. Our spicy alfredo sauce recipe uses cayenne – a more neutral flavor though with a certain uptick in kick – so the overall creamy alfredo flavor remains pure.

Spicy Turkey Gravy

by Matt Bray

Chipotle brings a smoky warmth…

Sure, any type of turkey gravy is pretty delicious, whether over turkey, mashed potatoes, or any of the typical sides that often accompany them. But if you’re looking for something a bit more memorable, that chipotle powder in your spice rack can be just what you need. This spicy turkey gravy has a touch of smoky warmth from the chipotle peppers that works quite well with classic turkey meals.

Feel free to adjust the amount of chipotle powder as you see fit. You could also try this recipe with chipotle in adobo sauce instead. Start with a half chipotle pepper mashed into a paste. You can also use some of that deliciously earthy adobo sauce in the mix for a spicy gravy that’s a bit more exotic.

Spicy Creole Sauce

by Matt Bray

Butter and spice…

This butter-based spicy Creole sauce is plenty rich with a whole lot of Southern charm. It uses a wide variety of spices off the spice rack – most of which are part of a typical Creole spice mix. So if you have a premade Creole seasoning at the ready, you could swap out the dried seasonings below for a comparable amount of seasoning (approximately three tablespoons). Note – Creole seasonings differ slightly in ingredients, so there may be a slightly different end flavor if you choose this option. Our homemade Creole seasoning recipe, for instance, includes basil and thyme in the mix.

Cayenne pepper is the spicy star here (and would also be present in a pre-made seasoning mix), but the sauce also gets a little heat from a few dashes of Tabasco sauce. Adjust both to your liking (up or down). Try this sauce with fish, particularly shrimp and catfish. Or add some delicious spice to your breakfast. This sauce is oh so tasty drizzled over scrambled eggs.

Spicy Red Enchilada Sauce

by Matt Bray

Smoky and bold…

You can’t go wrong with a delicious smoky and spicy red enchilada sauce. Whether you want to layer it atop of your enchiladas prior to baking or simply use it as a dipper side to the plate, it provides a ton of flavor to any enchilada type. This recipe makes enough sauce for four enchiladas (1/2 cup each of sauce) if you’re going the baking route. Adjust up if you’re baking more.

Chipotle peppers provide both heat and smokiness here, with additional spiciness coming from cayenne pepper. Of course, adjust as you need based on your spicy food tolerance. The cayenne pepper can be removed completely without a change to overall flavor (beyond the spiciness).

Jalapeño Arugula Aioli

by Matt Bray

A fresh tasting dip or spread…

When you first think arugula and jalapeño, you may not think there’s much in common. But there’s a lot more “there” there than you may think. Arugula, with its fresh peppery taste, pairs so well with the bright, grassy flavor of jalapeño peppers. It makes for one delicious aioli that’s perfect either as a dip or a spread. It’s particularly good on veggie sandwiches or go hearty and try it as a side to steak. It’s a fresh (and lightly fiery) sauce that’s pretty versatile even with its unique flavor.

Jalapeño peppers are typically hot enough for most. But, if you’re like us, you may want to increase the heat up a notch. We recommend adjusting the chili pepper used instead of increasing the amount of jalapeños used. Serrano peppers have a similar (though not exact) bright flavor, but they are a notch up on the pepper scale – often twice as hot (or even more) than a jalapeño.

Orange Chipotle Sauce

by Matt Bray

A tangy twist to BBQ…

The tangy, citrusy bite of orange is one of our favorite flavors to pair with pork on BBQ day. Now throwing chipotle pepper (one of our chili pepper favorites) into the mix, too, makes one delicious flavor pairing for the grill. It’s all good things in this orange chipotle sauce: tangy, smoky, earthy, and bold.

Don’t limit yourself to pork here (though yes, it’s oh so good with pork ribs). It also pairs well with grilled chicken, or you can use it as a dipper for chicken fingers for something different than the norm.

Ancho Cream Sauce

by Matt Bray

Perfect for Mexican night…

Want something different than the typical salsa or tomato-based chili sauce for Mexican night? Something that’s mild enough that the whole family can enjoy, yet still has plenty of flavor? Meet the ancho cream sauce. It’s super-mild (ancho peppers are typically half the heat of even the mildest jalapeños), yet anchos are packed with flavor. They’re earthy, slightly smoky, and even a little sweet – a perfect foil to rich cream flavor.

Use this sauce with tortilla-based Mexican meals – enchiladas, burritos, or quesadillas are all great options.

Jalapeño Lime Vinaigrette

by Matt Bray

A versatile spicy condiment…

The first time you make this jalapeño lime vinaigrette, it’ll probably be for a salad. But the minute you taste it, you’ll see there’s a lot more potential than greens for this yummy spicy dressing. It’s delicious as a marinade for fish (whether grilled or as a topper for fish tacos) and it’s a real flavor booster for grilled chicken (we especially like it as a alternative spicy dipping sauce for chicken satay).

If you want a step up in heat, you can try this recipe with serrano peppers instead of jalapeños. They have a similar bright, grassy flavor, but with a noticeable heat jump (but still within a medium-heat, eatable range).