A sauce for every occasion

Prepare your sauces ahead and you won’t have that last-minute hassle of putting out a tasty spread. Here are a few sauces that are must-haves in any stylish kitchen…

Fresh tomato
Let’s not get into a debate about whether tomato is a fruit or vegetable. Instead, here’s a tip: using fresh tomatoes always makes the best sauce. First, buy tomatoes which look fleshier (they will have fewer seeds). Chop them finely and season with salt and freshly-ground pepper or fresh green chilies. Add olive oil and garlic. This is the absolute classic. But the sauce will be transformed if you add a drizzle of butter, and some fresh basil leaves. If you have more time on hand, roast the tomatoes and garlic in the oven. The result will be incredible.
Add this tomato sauce to your pasta, or simply dunk your bread into it… whatever seems right!

Fruit coulis
Coulis is not just strained fruit purée  with sugar. It can be made into a savoury with tomatoes or bell peppers. The method of mixing, sifting, straining and freezing can be applied to most fruits.
Wash the chosen fruit and remove the stalks. Put the chopped fruit into a pan. If you’ve got 2 cups of fruit, addi cup of sugar. Put the pan on medium to low flame and stir constantly. When the sugar has dissolved into the fruit juice, take the coulis off the heat and let it cool, strain and put it into the fridge.

The easier way is to simply blend the fruit and icing sugar in a food processor, strain for seeds and chill. I personally like to make ice-cubes of coulis, by pouring it into moulds and leaving them overnight in the freezer. The next day I transfer the cubes to a bag, and back it goes into the freezer.
Chocolate sauce
You can add chocolate sauce to coffee, drizzle it over ice cream, top up pancakes, or add it to smoothies and milkshakes. The best part is that this gorgeous chocolate sauce can be made in less than five minutes. Take 1/4 cup each of milk and cream along with unsalted butter and sugar in a small pot and bring it to a boil. Turn off the heat and add 3/4 cup of chocolate. Leave it for a minute and then whisk until the mix is smooth. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

Sour cream yogurt
People love sour cream-based dips, but its calorie count can be a turn off. No fret, don’t give up on the pleasure, and instead whisk some lime juice with plain yogurt (which has been hung overnight). Remember to whisk it well till it reaches a sour cream consistency. Add some chopped parsley for flavour and presto, you have a healthy sauce ready. Serve it with some vegetable crudités, nachos, chips or even kebabs. I like to add in a wee bit of beetroot juice to the sauce while whisking it for that delightful pink colour.

Cheese sauce
You can turn an average dish into something spectacular by adding cheese sauce to it. First make a basic white sauce: Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat and then stir in the flour. After a minute or two, stir in the milk and continue cooking over low heat. Throw in a bay leaf to add some drama. Stir constantly until sauce begins to thicken. Once the sauce is smooth, and all the milk has been stirred in, add the cheese and season with salt and freshly ground pepper as desired. The best part is that any kind of cheese can be made into a cheese sauce. My favourite is blue cheese.