Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with Sauce

(Dim)something strange is going on.

emelenjr — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 18:13:27 -0800

This is a should I eat it?* question of sorts. Exactly how is my Chinese take-out place attempting to kill me? Every time I order dumplings from the Chinese place up the street, I like to warm up the little plastic cup of sauce that comes with the order. I take the lid off, and stick the cup in the microwave for about 20 seconds.

Invariably, about 10 seconds into it, there's a zzzzzzzzap noise and occasionally a flash. I usually (stupidly?) let the microwave keep cooking until I hear a second zap, and then I take out the warmed sauce.

I know there's nothing metallic in the cup—no metal rim, for example. So what's in the sauce that could be causing the arcing? No other food does this in my microwave.

*I'm eating it.

Where can I buy this hot sauce?

tucsongal — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 10:39:57 -0800

Where can I buy this hot sauce? There is this change of Mexican fast food places in Arizona and Southern California (well, San Deigo area) called Filiberto's. They have all types of salsas and hot sauces but it seems like their signature sauce is this simple 'red' sauce. Its really good and I was wondering if anyone knew if it was something 'off the shelf' and thus you could buy it someplace.

Again, here is a pic of the sauce as it comes from Filiberto's.

Handling Drippy Food with a Non-Straight-Lined Torso?

WCityMike — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 10:40:23 -0800

I'm by nature a person who likes to keep myself looking neat. I'm having a logistical problem with that. At the moment, I'm also very heavyset, meaning that, geometrically, I have a slope going from neck to waist, not a straight line. (A slope that no doubt will continue to steepen as I progress towards that personal goal, but nonetheless, a slope.)

This means that anything that possibly could drip (and even the neatest food seems to have something that can do that) is pretty much guaranteed to land on my shirt, no matter how careful I'm trying to be.

Stuffing a napkin near my neck not only looks a little inherently stupid, but it also usually doesn't provide adequate coverage.

I can't be the only person to experience this, given America's obesity rates and men's workplace formalwear, or given the presence of the bust for women.

(Parenthetically, I'm asking this because some workplaces where I'm applying for work require a shirt and tie – slightly unusual for my particular level – and given that dress shirts can be expensive, I'd like to be limiting the number of stains to as few as possible.)

Any tips?

Spontaneous ravioli help

kaseijin — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 14:14:39 -0800

Ravioli help! I need a creative, fast, tasty sauce idea... I was left with extra pasta sheets after running out of filling while making ravioli. Not wanting to waste my, I made a few extras with scrounged ingredients. The result: Brie and asiago ravioli with dried cherries. They're great. The problem is what to sauce them with. I only have enough for one serving, so it's gonna be my quick dinner tonight.

Help me, o cooks of MeFi, I beseech thee!

Can I salvage these tomatoes?

Orinda — Sat, 03 Oct 2009 15:15:45 -0800

While trying to cook a large quantity of tomatoes for sauce, I accidentally burned a few on the bottom of the pan. Now the burnt aroma pervades the entire (did I mention large) batch of tomatoes. Is there any way to salvage this project? I'm trying to make tomato sauce.

I started by cutting up raw tomatoes and chucking them into my biggest, deepest pot. Once there was a few-inches-deep layer of tomato chunks in the bottom of the pan, I turned the heat on high underneath and continued cutting and chucking tomato chunks. After a while, the chunks became difficult to stir around because the pan was so deep. I stupidly left the pan unstirred on top of high heat. Not long after I finished cutting up the tomatoes and adding them to the pan, my nose notified me that the bottom layer of tomatoes had burned. Uh oh.

A mild but noticeable burned smell seems to pervade the entire potful of tomato chunks, which are in varying states of cookedness. I pulled the rawest layer of tomato chunks off the top of the pan, thinking I might be able to salvage them, but that still leaves at least 20 lbs of tomatoes sitting in what is now a burnt-tomato-scented broth.

Advice? Do I have to throw out the whole lot? If I dig out the un-burnt tomatoes can I continue cooking them in a clean pan, or will the resultant sauce have that unpleasant burned flavor to it? Would it make a difference if I strained off the liquid and just cooked what's left of the un-burnt tomato flesh? Is it true that a peeled potato can "absorb the burnt taste"?

Spicy Science Experiment

vilthuril — Wed, 29 Apr 2009 14:12:50 -0800

CanIEatItFilter: How long will this spicy stir fry sauce keep? I have a stir fry type sauce made from sugar syrup, fish sauce, rice vinegar, lime juice, and hot pepper flakes. It has been sitting in a cup in my fridge for a couple of weeks. Can I still eat it? How long does something like this last? Assume that it will be brought to a boil when cooked and has no obvious mold/sludginess.

Join me in the Quest for the Mexican Salad Dressing!

goodnewsfortheinsane — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 13:30:16 -0800

Help me recreate an awesome Mexican salad dressing! So I just had one of those pre-packaged salad kits, and it came with an awesome dressing. It was a Mexican chicken salad, and the dressing was a tangy, sort-of tomato-ey sort-of corn-y delight with quite a bit of a bite (but no apparent capsaicin heat). I think it or something similar would work brilliantly as a home-made dressing or cold sauce. The ingredients as listed on the packaging:

Water
Soya oil
Tomato purée
Vinegar
Sugar
Dextrose
Herbs and spices
Onion
Modified corn starch
Salt

I'll spare you the food acids and other additives, but suffice to say that, big surprise, MSG was in there (but none of its cousins in the E620-E630 range).

I believe the tomato purée refers to the concentrated kind; it definitely tasted like it (although Dutch tomatoes I feel are generally quite watery so I'm somewhat easily impressed with the concentrated and processed stuff). In fact, the overall taste held the middle between concentrated tomatoes and something corn-like, strongly reminiscent of tortilla chips (the non-cheese kind). Add a faint vinegary tang, and you're pretty much there.

It had about the consistency of common chili sauce (but as I said, no heat). It was very different from any salsa I've eaten, and completely smooth; without any onion or tomato chunks like in salsa or adobo.

Has anyone ever made anything like this? Any pointers? Thanks in advance, guys!

Shelf stable homemade condiments

sharksandwich — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 18:40:58 -0800

Homemade condiment preservation without canning. I've made ketchup, hot sauce, and worcestershire sauce in the past. All the recipes say to store the finished product in the refrigerator and use within a relatively short time. Worcestershire seems to be the longest lasting at about 8 months. I understand since there are no preservatives the condiments keep best refrigerated. My question is: Is there any simple way to make hot sauces or worcestershire shelf stable (not needing refrigeration) without adding a pharmacy of chemicals or without canning the condiments? I'd like to give them as gifts and not kill my few friends.

(Not too) Hot Sauce Recommendations

brandman — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 12:18:25 -0800

I like Green Tabasco sauce. What are some other similarly mild pepper sauces I might enjoy? I like Green Tabasco's combination of flavor & heat, and I tend to use it on things like scrambled eggs, mac & cheese, and burgers. My bottle's almost empty, and I was thinking of trying something new. Any recommendations on other mild sauces? Anything available on a national basis would be great, but regional recommendations are welcome as well (I'm in Michigan).

Food to Dip in Soy Sause and Wasabi?

chrisalbon — Sat, 10 Jan 2009 14:37:41 -0800

I like Soy Sauce with Wasabi, but sushi is expensive. What quick and simply meals can I have that I can eat with Soy+Wasabi? I have really been enjoying the spicy/salty taste of soy sauce with Wasabi. However, buying sushi everyday is way, way beyond my budget.

What dirt simple/cheap meals can I make and enjoy with soy sauce and wasabi?

On top of spaghetti , All covered with cheese, I lost my poor meatball, When somebody sneezed.

MiltonRandKalman — Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:44:26 -0800

Looking for a easy to follow chart for pairing of pasta sauces and types/shapes of pasta (preferably a visual guide). Most of the ones of finding are too general and pasta shapes are usually created with a particular sauce in mind.

Some Like it Hot

Tube — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 19:41:14 -0800

Where can I buy La Guacamaya hot sauce with lime juice in the Seattle area? Some time back, I discovered a hot sauce that, along with Tabasco's chipotle sauce, has become my co-favorite hot sauce of ALL TIME.

This would be La Guacamaya hot sauce with lime juice.

I discovered it in an Asian market in White Center, a suburb of Seattle several months ago. I've found that Asian markets in Seattle often carry Mexican foods as well. I buy about 5 bottles of the stuff at a time, as you can see that the price is right at $2.19 for a liter bottle!

Suddenly the market I found it at no longer has it! They only have the wimpy little 177ml bottles!

Please, I'm addicted to this delicious stuff...

Where can I buy it in liter sized bottles? Heck, I'd be willing to drive to Skyway to buy it...

Please note, there is a plain version of La Guacamaya that has no lime juice, and I'm not interested in that stuff.

Do you know of any market, bodega, gas station, supermarket, Walmart, Costco, Asian market, farmer's market, Mexican market, or even "dollar store" where I can buy this? I realize that it's available on the Internet, but I'd rather buy in bulk and avoid ridiculous shipping charges.

Thicken cold sauce?

danep — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 06:26:22 -0800

Cooking filter: How do I go about thickening a hot sauce without changing the transparency? I'm familiar with techniques like adding flour and cornstarch to sauces and soups being cooked, but adding flour and cornstarch makes the solution a little more opaque. Plus, this sauce has never been-nor will ever be-heated. Is there a clear, tasteless thickening agent I can use?

Fix tomato sauce indigestion.

zeek321 — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:12:25 -0800

Cooking puzzle: Help me nullify the acidity of tomato sauce (and heartburn) in this recipe I've concocted. 1. 2lb browned ground bison
2. bag of frozen blueberries
3. 2 3/4 cups of no-salt tomato sauce
4. 1/2 cup of flax seed
5. Mix all the above together.
(6. topped with a bunch of stuff)
7. Bake on low heat.

The above has slowly started giving me uncomfortable burping-up and heartburn. I took out the tomato sauce and the symptoms went away immediately and completely. However, the tomato sauce makes it taste even better (heh) and it kind of holds everything together. And it's really nutritious.

I'm allergic to eggs, wheat, dairy, and corn.

*Is there anything binding and nutritious that I could replace the tomato sauce with?

*I'd like to get my tomato sauce in a can or something super-easy, but google says there are ways to prepare tomato sauce that are less acidic. Personal experiences and/or store-buyable suggestions?

****Even better, mega bonus points, does anyone have ideas for basic/alkaline ingredients to nullify the acid and add even more nutrition to my crazy recipe? The ingredients should start out basic and should probably stay net basic after they're metabolized. I'm a terrible cook, so I don't know where to start, beyond that.

Besides the indigestion, this recipe really, really works for my body, so thank you!

Need some sauce

pilibeen — Tue, 27 May 2008 16:10:31 -0800

Help me make/find a good stir-fry sauce... I'm trying to make use of all this veg I'm getting from my new CSA share, and I figured stir-fries would be a great way to throw everything together in one dish.

I've tried stir-frying in the past and always end up w/ nicely cooked vegetables in a strange tasting sauce. I've used some store-bought sauces (labeled "stir-fry sauce", can't recall the brand), and even tried throwing a few of my own together. NONE of them have encouraged me to return to stir-fries.

What bottled sauces or homemade sauces do you use in your stir-fry?

Thanks

What on earth is "Lobster Sauce"?

sirion — Mon, 12 May 2008 04:10:47 -0800

What is "lobster sauce" and do you have a good recipe for it? When I go out to eat and see things like "pasta with lobster sauce" or, better, "lobster with pasta with lobster sauce", or still good, "Shrimp with risotto and lobster sauce", I will always order them, and pretty consistently, wipe the plate clean with any available bread.

Looking online has provided a few things that seem to resemble what I'm looking for, but many of them are so varied from one another that I suspect maybe there's a name for this sauce other than "lobster sauce".

The sauce I'm looking for is orange-ish in color, typically served with pasta and seafood, and almost always with chives on top. Typically seen in French restaurants or all sorts of fusion restaurants.

So! My questions are: What do you know about this sauce? Do you have any reliably good recipes for this sauce? What substitutions work and which do not (most importantly, is *lobster* a key ingredient in "lobster" sauce? I've seen some recipes involving shrimp shells or fish stock or what have you. Are these sillyness? (Not requiring lobster would mean I get to eat this way more often, which sounds good to me).

Trade you for your peanut butter

darksasami — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 12:23:28 -0800

How can I make elementary school spaghetti sauce? Remember school cafeteria spaghetti? The noodles were skinny and underdone in places, and the sauce was thick and full of some sort of cheap meat ground very fine. Anything it touched was left coated with strange orange grease that stained worse than Cheetos. Tomatoes were probably involved, but no identifiable parts ever appeared, and they seemed to be less a base than a seasoning.

I have all kinds of recipes for spaghetti sauce, but they all have the same problem: they're designed to be good. How can I recreate the horrible old school lunches I remember so well?

How can I simulate this tikka masala sauce?

tomwheeler — Sun, 06 Apr 2008 20:37:30 -0800

How can I make a tikka masala sauce just like this jar of Sharwood's? I really like the slightly sweet flavor and creamy texture of this particular sauce, but it's a British brand that's hard to find where I live. When I am lucky enough to find it (whether locally or online), it's expensive.

I've tried a number of other brands from jars, cans and packets, but none that I like as much as Sharwood's. I was hoping someone might have a recipe to share that will make a sauce that's similar in flavor and/or texture.

Please tell me how to stuff it.

bondcliff — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:59:38 -0800

What are your favorite ravioli fillings and sauces? Homemade ravioli are one of my favorite foods to make. I seem to be stuck in a rut though, always making the same ricotta and spinach filling, served with a butter/garlic/sage sauce. I recently branched out and made a roasted butternut squash filling served with the same sauce. It was pretty damn awesome.

I’m looking for good suggestions / recipes for both fillings and sauces. The pasta part of it I can handle, though tips in that area are certainly welcome. For the most part I use AB’s method (but without the ironing board) and it seems to work pretty well.

Anything raviloi related is welcome, actually. Sides/mains to serve with it, wines, derivatives, etc. Have at it, people.

If this thread doesn’t reach 1000 comments by 5:00PM EST, I’ll be very disappointed. Also, I can’t believe I’m the first use the ravioli tag.

Japanese BBQ Sauce like at DOJO.

dirtdirt — Sun, 20 Jan 2008 05:22:42 -0800

How can I make or buy "Japanese BBQ sauce" like they serve on the breakfast special at Dojo in NYC? The special is listed as "Scrambled Eggs over Brown Rice w/ Japanese BBQ Sauce." It's delicious, and only $3.25, but since I live in Texas these days I am forced to do without, or provide my own.

The sauce is sort of thin and gelatinous (roughly the consistency of Kraft Catalina salad dressing, if you will forgive me for bringing that stuff up) and caramel in color. It's a bit sticky and sweet, but not syrupy sweet.

Google reveals a zillion different recipes for Japanese BBQ sauce but they all look like, well, BBQ sauce. They are mostly tomato based. This stuff is pretty clearly not tomato based and is, to my tastes, BBQ'y in name only.

Anyone here know what I am looking for?

'Best' napoli sauce recipe?

jedro — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 16:20:08 -0800

What's you favourite napoli sauce recipe? I'm looking for a nice rich napoli sauce recipe using canned tomatoes.

what is tomato sauce really made of?

zebra3 — Fri, 28 Dec 2007 12:49:37 -0800

I'm getting ready to make my first serious attempt at marinara. Recipes that I have seen vary on whether one should use whole tomatoes, canned tomatoes, tomato paste, tomato puree, or tomato sauce. What effect does it have on the finished product to use or not use any of these in particular? I plan on working from my mother-in-law's recipe, which calls for a combination of tomato sauce and tomato paste, and is of the slow-cooking variety...

But as I've been looking at other recipes for perspective, I see that the most essential ingredient varies wildly looking at different recipes, since there are so many forms available.

I have seen this, this, this, and this, which are all delightfully packed with recipes and tips and make me desperately hungry for pasta, yet none of them address my question: what effect does it have on your finished red sauce if you do or don't use these variously processed or unprocessed forms of tomato?

Chunky pasta?

widdershins — Thu, 15 Nov 2007 15:28:33 -0800

Another pasta sauce question but with a few additional requirements... I'm making a pasta dinner for a few friends on Saturday and I'd like to try something new. I've searched previous questions and found some good suggestions, but am looking for more. I'm trying to satisfy some very different types, so have a few requirements:

The dish must feature either spaghetti or fusilli or penne - no lasagna or tortellini or anything like that (long story, but trust me on this). Also it can contain no meat or seafood. Lastly, it needs to be a sauce that can be poured on top of the pasta right before serving - in other words, not baked with it or anything like that.

I'm looking for something more unique than your basic plain tomato sauce (I love it, but want to do something different this time) or alfredo. I'm thinking something with some 'chunkier' ingredients, like olives or sundried tomatoes or artichokes, that kind of thing. Yes, I have looked at allrecipes and googled and have a few ideas but nothing has really leapt out at me yet except possibly a good vodka sauce. Lastly, while I love a good puttanesca, some of my guests do not like anchovies or capers, so that's out too.

(Oh, and I should add that I'm not a great cook but a good recipe-follower, so exact ingredients/measurements are a big plus!)

What to do with tomato skins

exceptinsects — Sat, 01 Sep 2007 16:59:51 -0800

Oh my god, it's FINALLY tomato season, but what can I do with all these tomato skins? I swear I read somewhere online within the last week or so that you can roast them in the oven and then grind them into a powder to sprinkle on things. But I can't find it anywhere.

Does anyone know what that recipe was, or failing that, something else to do with a bunch of tomato skins? I like to take them off when I make fresh tomato sauce, but they have a lot of flavor and it would be nice to use them for something.

Foodfilter: vegetable substitutes for pasta?

gregb1007 — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 18:15:42 -0800

Foodfilter: vegetable substitutes for pasta? As a low carber, I avoid flour and dough-based dishes most of the time, but I still think pasta sauces are great. Are there any vegetables/beans that would be for pouring pasta sauce on?