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Sauces
I take great interest in serving personal and delicious food for family meals and other occasions. I love to cook, to be creative and to watch people enjoying their food, but I dislike washing up and wasting time seems to me the worst sin of all. Here are some favourite sauces with tips for saving time, avoiding mess and enjoying being in the kitchen.
The Cox Family Custard
Whisk two tablespoons of cornflour, one and a half tablespoons of sugar, one egg and 500ml of cold milk (any kind, even UHT in an emergency) with a whole vanilla pod in a large heat-resistant glass jug.
Heat in the microwave for a minute at a time, whisking well after each minute, until the custard begins to thicken. Reduce the heating times to half a minute until almost boiling. Cover with a plate or compostable wrapper and serve from the jug. Only one item to wash!
You might like to use cream for a special occasion or to make a trifle when the custard is chilled. You may wash the vanilla pod in cold water and use several times again. When the flavour of the pod begins to fade, break it open and scrape the tiny seeds into the custard with the empty pod. The little specks give an incomparable flavour and a pretty appearance.
Beulah Gravy
The liquid can be any combination of stock (see the Tyrannell Way with Turkey), vegetable cooking water (always worth saving) and as much meat dripping (fat skimmed off) as possible. Add flavour with a slowly cooked onion, just starting to brown, a teaspoon of dark soy sauce, the scrapings from your roasting pan or perhaps a drop or two of Worcestershire sauce.
I don’t mind if my gravy is pale or brown in colour, as long as it tastes wonderful, but both soy and Worcestershire will make it darker. Once more, two tablespoons of flour, the ordinary type or cornflour, to 500ml of cold liquid in a pan or microwaveable jug will result in a medium consistency which can be adjusted to your preference. Either proceed heating as for the custard or work in a pan on the hob; either will be fine and you might like to be nearer the rest of the Sunday Roast while stirring.
A Sauce to Serve with a Pan Fry
If you are lucky enough to have a piece of steak to fry in a pan I have a simple and delicious sauce to suggest. When all the cooking is done, keep everything warm and deglaze the pan with a spoonful or two of bramble jelly. When this is all melted, stir in some cream, creme fraiche or stock. Gently heat together and, if you have opened a bottle, a little splash would be a pleasant addition as well.
Welsh White Sauce
Classic bechamel is a beautiful thing, but when you are in a hurry this is a simple basic which can be varied in countless ways and is very quick and simple. Whisk two tablespoons of flour into 500ml cold milk and add a finger-width slice of cold butter, about 25g, in one piece, into your useful microwaveable jug.
Proceed as for the custard above until the sauce is thick. Here are some additions:–
- A teaspoon of dry mustard, whisked in at the beginning with the flour
- A good grinding of fresh nutmeg, at any stage
- 50g grated cheese, any sort, at the end
And if you add all three of the above plus two eggs last of all you have a lovely topping for a tin full of roasted vegetables which we call ‘Ratasaka’ (ratatouille with a mousaka topping). Pour the sauce over the vegetables and bake in a moderate oven for forty minutes until the top is set and golden.
I hope that you enjoy the above; do share your experiences in the comments or tell us about other quick and easy recipes.