Versión en Español Homemade tartar sauce, or salsa tártara, is a cold sauce of mayonnaise mixed with mustard, lemon juice, and finely chopped onion, pickle, and parsley, seasoned and chilled so the flavors blend. It takes 15 minutes to prepare, plus an hour of chilling, and serves 4. It is a classic companion for fried fish, calamari, and seafood, and works just as well with salads and meats. How to Make Tartar Sauce? Tartar sauce…

Versión en Español Homemade liquid caramel, or caramelo líquido, is sugar cooked with a little water until amber, then loosened with warm water into a smooth, pourable syrup for flan and other desserts. It takes 10 minutes of preparation and about 20 minutes of cooking, and serves 4. Contrary to what many people think, it is very easy to make, as long as you work carefully because of the high temperatures involved. How to Make…

Versión en Español Lactonesa, or eggless mayonnaise, is a creamy emulsion of whole milk and olive oil made with an immersion blender and seasoned with salt and, if you like, apple cider vinegar, lemon juice, or Dijon mustard. It takes 10 minutes to prepare, needs no cooking, and serves 6. It is ideal for people with egg allergies and avoids the risks associated with raw eggs, especially in summer. How to Make Eggless Mayonnaise? Lactonesa…

Versión en Español Chilean agraz, or green grape verjuice, is the tart juice pressed from unripe grapes, strained and used as a dressing instead of lemon or vinegar. It takes 10 minutes to prepare, needs no cooking, and serves 6. It is a heritage dressing that has survived almost unnoticed in the rural dry coastal lands and the countryside of central Chile, and it brings a clean, fruity acidity to bean salads and pebre. How…

Versión en Español Homemade tomato sauce, or salsa de tomates casera, is made by blanching and peeling ripe tomatoes, simmering them with a soft sofrito of onion and garlic in olive oil, salt, pepper, and optional oregano or bay leaf, then blending until smooth. It takes 20 minutes of preparation and about 50 minutes of cooking, and serves 4. It is a fresh, versatile sauce worth the time, and once you make it you will…

Versión en Español Homemade fig jam, or mermelada de higos, is made by macerating quartered ripe figs with sugar and lemon juice, then simmering them slowly until thick, with a touch of vanilla, and sealing the hot jam in sterilized jars. It takes 15 minutes of preparation, plus 30 minutes of resting, and about 45 minutes of cooking, and makes about 60 tablespoons. It is a sweet, aromatic preserve with Mediterranean roots, passed down through…

Versión en Español Homemade oregano oil, known in Spanish as aceite de orégano or aceite oro, is olive oil infused with crushed dried oregano, warmed briefly in a hot water bath, left to steep for 48 hours, and strained. It takes 10 minutes of preparation and 10 minutes in the water bath, and makes about 250 ml. It is an aromatic seasoning oil for salads, dressings, marinades, soups, and pasta, with an intense, spicy flavor…

Versión en Español Homemade mayonnaise is an emulsified sauce of egg, neutral oil, lemon juice, and salt, ready in a few minutes with an immersion blender or by hand, and in Chile it is the queen of home sauces. This recipe makes about 10 servings of 2 tablespoons each. It is believed to come from the town of Mahón, on the Mediterranean island of Menorca, which is why the French originally called it mahonnaise. In…

Versión en Español Homemade teriyaki sauce is made by bringing 100 ml each of soy sauce, mirin, and sake to a boil with 3 tablespoons of sugar, adding garlic and ginger, and thickening it with a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch in 2 tablespoons of water, then cooling it and storing it in a sterilized jar. It takes 10 minutes of preparation plus 5 minutes of cooking and makes 6 servings. It is one…

Versión en Español Chilote black garlic sauce is a creamy dip made by blending 8 peeled black garlic cloves with olive oil, lemon juice, salt, and pepper into a paste, then beating in 3/4 cup of plain yogurt and chilling it until serving. It takes 10 minutes to prepare and serves 6 people. It is ideal with fish and white meats or as a dip for appetizers, with the sweet, balsamic flavor of black garlic.…