By Andrea Maunder
Back on the first fine day in April, the scent of barbecue sent tantalizing aromas from some neighbour’s backyard. There were still patches of snow everywhere, and snow and freezing rain in the forecast. I caught myself laughing, thinking, the weather in our province certainly has fostered resilience in us, and the urge to rush out and grill when the sun shines.
We tend to think it’s a quick, simple meal when we “throw on a few burgers.” But, as always, I want to add flavour to your plate. In the time it takes to heat the BBQ, you can mix up a delicious sauce that will take your burger from good to memorable. You probably have most of the ingredients in your pantry. Add the rest to your next grocery list, and you’ll be ready for whatever burger craving hits.
I’ve taken inspiration from international flavours, and you’ll find these sauces will go beautifully on all sorts of burgers, beef, chicken, pork, veggie, seafood – and, for that matter, on nearly anything you cook. The Romesco is the only recipe that works best in a blender. I use the single-serve smoothie jar for minimal clean up. The rest, you just stir together. And they’ll keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge. All recipes make around a cup of sauce – plenty to serve 8-12 burgers.
I created a quicker version of Romesco sauce. A luscious, savoury condiment from the Catalan region of Spain, the original requires blistering and peeling peppers, toasting and skinning almonds or hazelnuts, roasting tomatoes, and toasting bread. I have a fast version for you that uses grocery store items – jarred roasted bell peppers, almond butter and tomato paste, and omits the bread, as this version doesn’t need the added texture (and is celiac friendly). Honestly, I would eat romesco with almost anything. When I make a batch, I freeze it in portion-sized blobs, so I can simply grab one to jazz up a meal. (Tip: you can buy toothpaste-sized tubes of tomato paste in the same aisle, which store in the fridge once opened. No more opening a can for a small amount.)
Quick Romesco
1 cup jarred roasted red peppers, drained
¼ cup natural roasted almond butter (or 1/3 cup sliced almonds, lightly toasted)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1-2 tbsp sherry vinegar (red wine vinegar, or even cider vinegar, will work)
2 medium cloves garlic, coarsely chopped if using a blender; minced very finely, if by hand
1 tsp smoked paprika (omit if you don’t have it – the grilled burger gives charred flavour)
Pinch cayenne pepper (optional)
½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
½ cup good flavoured olive oil
Put everything in the blender and whiz just until smooth-ish. A little texture is nice. Add a little water, as needed, to assist blending. If you don’t have a blender, mash the peppers as finely as you can on a cutting board with a fork, and stir everything together. Start with 1 tbsp of the vinegar, taste and adjust seasonings.
Remoulade, a mayonnaise-based sauce, has classic French herb-forward origins, but has been adopted and modified by several cuisines, most notably New Orleans, where it’s spiced up. My version is somewhere in between, but I’ve included lots of options for you to customize, based on what’s in your fridge and pantry, and what you’re serving it with. A more herb-forward variation with capers is ideal for chicken and seafood; a spiced-up version is delicious with heartier meat or black bean burgers. If using herbs, they must be fresh (don’t use dried). Think tender herbs such as parsley, cilantro, dill, basil, mint or tarragon. Dill is great with seafood and pork, tarragon with poultry, for example. If you don’t have fresh herbs on hand, go for the spiced-up version and add capers, pickles, or even jarred pickled hot peppers.
Remoulade – Classic French or New Orleans style – OR your style
1 cup mayonnaise
2 tbsp yellow mustard (or Creole/spicy mustard or Dijon)
3 tbsp finely minced tangy pickle (or the pickles you like)
2 tsp finely minced capers (or omit)
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/3 cup finely chopped herbs – mixture is lovely (stems of tender herbs can be included)
2 tbsp finely minced chives, optional
Pinch cayenne or ½ tsp hot sauce (more to taste)
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp kosher salt, or to taste
A few dashes of Worcestershire sauce, optional
As I mentioned above, you can add a tbsp or two of pickled hot peppers, chopped spicy pickled green beans, olives – whatever you have on hand. Simply stir together, taste and adjust.
Fans of Arabic cuisine are likely familiar with tahini sauce. My version combines Tahini (roasted sesame paste) with plenty of lemon, some yogurt and seasonings, to make a really delightful, complex sauce. Thinned with a little water and olive oil to taste, it converts beautifully to a salad dressing, so consider batching up to have more on hand.
Tahini Lemon
¼ cup tahini paste
½ cup Greek or other thick yogurt (mayo will also work)
1 tsp grated lemon zest
2-3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp kosher salt, to taste
1 tsp garlic powder (you can also use fresh, but I like the roasted mellowness in this)
½ tsp sugar (more to taste)
Pinch black pepper
2 tbsp water, or more to achieve texture
Stir everything except water together with a small whisk or fork. Tahini tends to thicken/seize when liquid is added. You may need to adjust by adding room temp water to make a spoonable consistency. Taste and adjust to your palate.
And lastly, my simplified version of Korean Ssamjang sauce might just become your go-to. Packed with umami and a touch of sweet heat. I’ve adjusted the traditional recipe to replace a couple of the ingredients not readily available here. Depending on your pantry, you may need to add a couple of items to the grocery list. Miso (Japanese fermented soybean paste) and Gochujang (fermented Korean chili powder, glutinous rice and soybeans) are available in the international aisles. Once opened, they keep forever in the fridge, and are wonderful to have on hand to jazz up sauces, soups, stews, stir-fries, etc.
Korean Ssamjang
½ cup white or yellow miso
4 tbsp gochujang paste
2 tbsp honey
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced and mashed to a paste with the side of your knife on a cutting board
1 tbsp rice vinegar
4 tbsp water
4 tbsp toasted sesame seeds
2 green onions, finely minced (sometimes I use a couple tbsp finely sliced cilantro stems instead, for herbaceous flavour)
Using a small whisk or fork, stir everything except the sesame seeds and green onions together. Taste and adjust flavour and texture, as needed. Stir in seeds and onions. You can use this at the table or paint it onto burgers just before you remove them from the grill.
