Herb Recipes: Sauces and Dressings

CUCUMBER SAUCE FOR FISH

½ oz unsalted butter

1 large cucumber, peeled and cut into ¾-in chunks

Salt and pepper

Chopped dill or fennel

Melt butter, add cucumber, cover pan and simmer, shaking pan frequently, until cucumber is just tender (about 7—10 min). Season to taste and serve garnished with chopped dill or fennel.

DILLY APPLE SAUCE

1 lb cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2 tablesp water

3 ½ oz sugar

A small knob of unsalted butter

1 dessertsp freshly-chopped dill

Cook apples with water over gentle heat until soft and dry, add sugar and butter, beat or sieve until smooth and stir in the dill. Serve hot or cold. This sauce makes an easy filling for an omelet.

ELIZABETHAN SAUCE FOR PORK

1 ½ lb cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

½ lb quince, peeled, cored and sliced

2—3 tablesp water

Juice of 1 lemon

1—2 oz sugar

2 oz butter

1 rounded tablesp freshly-chopped mint

Put apples, quince, water, lemon juice and sugar in a pan, simmer until soft and dry, taking care the mixture does not burn. Stir in butter, heat or sieve until smooth, then add the mint. Re-heat very gently, if necessary. (Very good with bacon, sausages and goose as well as pork.)

BECHAMEL SAUCE

1 pt milk

¼ small carrot

1 shallot or small onion

1 small or ½ large bay leaf

Bouquet garni

6 peppercorns

2 oz butter

1 ¼ oz flour

6 tablesp single cream Salt and pepper

Put milk, carrot, shallot, herbs and peppercorns into a saucepan, bring to the boil, remove from heat, cover and leave for 30 min for flavours to blend. Strain. Melt butter in a pan, stir in flour, cook for two minutes, slowly add strained milk, stirring all the time. Bring to the boil, cook for two minutes, remove from heat. Add cream and season to taste.

FENNEL SAUCE FOR FISH

1 rounded tablesp finely-chopped fennel

Salt and pepper

1 x 5-oz carton soured cream

Sugar to taste

Mix all ingredients together, whisking lightly with a fork. If time permits, cover and leave for a little while for flavours to blend.

HOT HORSERADISH SAUCE

½ oz butter

½ oz plain flour

½ pt milk

Salt and white pepper

4 level tablesp grated horseradish

1 dessertsp white wine vinegar

1 level dessertsp caster sugar

Melt butter, cook flour in saucepan for 2 min. Slowly add the milk, stirring all the time, bring to boil, cook, stirring for 2 min. Remove from heat. Add the other ingredients. Left-over sauce can be used cold.

QUICK HORSERADISH SAUCE

¼ pt cream

3 level tablesp grated horseradish

1 dessertsp white wine vinegar

Salt and pepper

Lightly whip the cream, stir in horseradish and vinegar, adding salt and pepper to taste. Leave in a cool place until ready. Use within 24 hours.

MINTED GOOSEBERRY JELLY

2 lb small, hard green cooking gooseberries

Cold water

Sugar

6—8 sprigs of mint, tied in a bundle

Put berries in a thick pan, cover with water, cook until soft. Strain through a jelly bag; do not squeeze to hurry process. Measure liquid, allow 1 lb sugar per pt of liquid. Put sugar and liquid in pan, add mint, heat, stirring, until sugar has dissolved, then boil rapidly until setting point is reached. Remove mint and pour jelly into warmed and sterilized small jars. Seal.

TARTARE SAUCE

½ pt mayonnaise

1 teasp each chopped parsley, capers, tarragon, chervil,

gherkins ¾ teasp sugar

Put mayonnaise into a bowl, stir in all the other ingredients, cover and allow to steep for at least 30 min before serving.

ALMOST INSTANT DRESSING

1 x 5-oz carton natural yogurt

Salt and pepper

1 rounded tablesp any mixed chopped herbs

Mix altogether and use as a salad dressing (good for summers).

MINT SAUCE

Mint sprigs, washed and dried

Sugar

Boiling water

White or malt vinegar

Place mint leaves on a chopping board with one or two fine young pieces of stem. Sprinkle 2 teasp sugar over and chop finely, (the sugar helps to absorb oils from the mint). To every rounded tablespoon chopped mint add, in a bowl, one level teasp sugar and pour over 1 tablesp boiling water. Stir to dissolve sugar, then pour in vinegar to taste. Leave to infuse for at least an hour before serving.

PARSLEY SAUCE

1 dessertsp chopped parsley

½ oz butter

½ oz plain flour

½ pt milk less 1 tablesp

1 tablesp single cream

Salt and pepper

Wash, chop and carefully dry the parsley (if it is wet it will discolour the sauce). Melt butter, cook flour in saucepan for 2 minutes. Slowly stir in milk, bring to boil, stirring, cook 2 minutes. Season to taste. Remove from heat, stir in cream and parsley.

HORSERADISH AND BEETROOT RELISH

¼ lb cooked, cold beetroot, peeled and finely chopped or

grated 4 oz grated horseradish 1 rounded tablesp caster sugar ¾ teasp salt ¾ pt white vinegar

Mix ingredients thoroughly. Put in jar. Cover. Can be used after 1 hour and will keep for up to 3 weeks if stored in a cool place.

Herb Recipes: Stuffings

APPLE, SAGE AND ONION STUFFING

2 medium-sized cooking apples, peeled, cored and sliced

2 medium-sized onions, sliced

3 thyme leaves

4 sage leaves Cold water

Approximately 2 tablesp mashed potato Salt and black pepper

Place apples and onions in a saucepan with herb leaves. Barely cover with water and cook over low heat until tender. Drain off surplus liquid, sieve or blend, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in sufficient mashed potato to make mixture dry and smooth (use for stuffing duck or goose).

CHESTNUT STUFFING

1 lb chestnuts

2 oz unsalted butter

2 oz fresh white breadcrumbs ½ lb pork sausagemeat ½ teasp dried thyme or

1 teasp fresh thyme leaves or

1 teasp fresh marjoram ½ teasp dried marjoram ½ teasp chopped parsley Milk Salt and pepper

Score the chestnuts with a sharp kitchen knife, place them in a hot oven for a few minutes to loosen the skins. Remove all the skins and place chestnuts in a saucepan. Just cover with milk. Lay a piece of buttered greaseproof paper over and put the lid on the pan. Bring milk to boil, then simmer gently until nuts are tender. Drain off remaining milk. Sieve nuts and mix in the butter. Leave to get cold. Mix breadcrumbs, sausagemeat, herbs and seasoning into the chestnut puree (use for stuffing turkey, etc).

PARSLEY AND THYME STUFFING 4 oz fresh white breadcrumbs 1 oz shredded suet or butter, grated 1 level tablesp chopped parsley 1 level dessertsp chopped thyme Finely-grated rind of ½ lemon Salt and pepper 1 egg, beaten Milk to bind

Mix together all the ingredients, using sufficient milk to bind.

SAGE AND ONION STUFFING

4 onions, sliced

7 fresh sage leaves or 1 level dessertsp powdered sage

1 oz butter

Pepper and salt

4 oz soft breadcrumbs

Egg to bind

Simmer the onion in a little water until tender, drain and chop. Add the sage, butter, seasoning, breadcrumbs and leave to cool. Mix in sufficient beaten egg to bind.

STUFFING FOR VEAL

3 oz lean ham, minced or finely chopped

2 teasp chopped parsley

1 teasp chopped lemon thyme or lemon verbena (pinch of

finely powdered if dried) A pinch of marjoram

4 oz shredded suet

Salt and pepper

6 oz soft white breadcrumbs

2 eggs, lightly beaten

Mix first seven ingredients. Use sufficient egg to bind.