spices | Saveur

Autumn Bellini

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:46:37 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Prosecco marries with richly spiced mulled cider and a splash of vodka in this seasonal take on the classic Bellini served at the now-closed Caffè Storico in New York City. While the original recipe called for a fig-flavored vodka such as Figenza, regular vodka works just as well in this fall cocktail.

Yield: 2 cocktails

Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients

For the mulled cider syrup:

1 cup apple cider
½ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
4 whole cloves
2 green cardamom pods
2 cinnamon sticks
2 whole star anise

For the Bellini

1 oz. vodka
12 oz. chilled prosecco

Instructions

Make the mulled cider syrup: In a small pot, bring the cider to a boil over medium-high heat. Turn the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the cider is reduced by half, about 2 minutes. Add the nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon, and star anise, then remove from the heat and set aside to cool. Strain the syrup into an airtight container and refrigerate. (You should have about ½ cup of syrup.)
Make the cocktail: To a cocktail shaker filled halfway with ice, add the vodka and 2½ ounces of the mulled cider syrup. Shake until chilled, then strain into two champagne glasses, top each with prosecco, and serve.

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Broccoli Strascinati (Sautéed Broccoli with Garlic and Chile)

SAVEUR Editors — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:27:43 +0000

Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen. Photo: Murray Hall • Food Styling: Jessie YuChen

Strascinati, which means “dragged,” refers to a technique for sautéing in olive oil with plenty of garlic and chiles. This Roman side dish, which pairs beautifully with porchetta or pork chops, can be made with regular broccoli, broccoli rabe, or broccoli romano, known in the U.S. as romanesco.

Featured in “Roman Contorni” by Dana Bowen.

Yield: 2–4

Time: 15 minutes

¼ cup extra-virgin olive oil
1 lb. broccoli, stemmed and cut into florets
3 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
½ tsp. crushed red chile flakes
Kosher salt

Instructions

To a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil. When it’s hot and shimmering, add the broccoli and cook, turning occasionally, until lightly browned, 6–8 minutes. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons of water, then add the garlic and cook until golden, 2–3 minutes. Add the chile flakes and continue cooking until toasted, about 2 minutes more. Season to taste with salt and serve immediately.

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Dibi Hausa (Senegalese Grilled Beef Kebabs)

Pierre Thiam — Tue, 20 Jul 2021 21:18:40 +0000

Belle Morizio. Belle Morizio

This recipe, which appeared in Adrian Miller’s book, Black Smoke, is adapted from beef kebabs made by chef Pierre Thiam, a Senegal native, who is doing much to educate Americans about the food of his native country. It’s also a great way to get a taste of West African barbecue in a short period of time. Though this recipe calls for beef, you can use any other meat or vegetable to achieve delicious results. If using bamboo skewers, soak them in water for an hour before using. The tankora spice mix will last up to two months stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Featured in “The Real Star Of West African-Style Grilling? This DIY-Friendly Seasoning” by Adrian Miller.

Yield: 4

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

For the tankora powder:

1 cup roasted, unsalted peanuts, crushed to a fine powder
1 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
½ tsp. ground cayenne pepper

For the kebabs:

1 lb. round steak, sliced into strips about 1½ by 2 by ⅜ in.
2 Tbsp. plus 1½ tsp. finely grated white or yellow onion
1 Tbsp. tomato paste
½ tsp. finely chopped garlic
¼ tsp. finely grated fresh ginger
1 chicken bouillon cube, crumbled (optional)
1 Tbsp. peanut or vegetable oil
1 tsp. freshly ground white pepper
½ tsp. cayenne pepper
½ tsp. kosher salt

Instructions

Make the tankora powder: In a small bowl, stir together the peanuts, ginger, salt, white pepper, and cayenne; set aside.
Prepare the kebabs: Heat a charcoal or gas grill to high. To a large bowl, add the steak, onion, tomato paste, garlic, ginger, and bouillon cube (if desired); toss to combine. Add the oil, white pepper, cayenne, and salt and toss to coat the meat evenly in the seasonings. Set aside to marinate for 10–15 minutes.
Thread a few slices of meat onto eight 6-inch skewers. Pour the reserved tankora powder onto a wide plate and roll each skewer in it, evenly coating all sides and shaking off any excess. Using a pastry brush, brush a bit more of the remaining marinade over each skewer. Transfer to the grill and cook, turning occasionally and basting with the marinade, until the meat is seared and browned all over and cooked through, 12–14 minutes. Serve hot or warm.

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Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce

SAVEUR Editors — Thu, 23 May 2019 18:06:40 +0000

Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Victoria Granof • Prop Styling: Dayna Seman. Photo: Belle Morizio • Food Styling: Victoria Granof • Prop Styling: Dayna SemanBY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY VICTORIA GRANOF; PROP STYLING BY DAYNA SEMAN

While whimsical-looking Scotch bonnet chiles have a flavorful fruitiness, they also pack a capsaicin punch that can easily overwhelm a dish. A fresh, Caribbean-style pepper sauce, tempered with sweet tropical fruit, is a great way to make the most of the fiery peppers. This hot sauce originally ran alongside Korsha Wilson’s guide to traditional Jamaican-style jerk cooking. (If you can’t find coconut vinegar, a staple in Caribbean cooking, white wine vinegar is a suitable substitute.)

Featured in: “Master Jamaican Jerk with Our Definitive Guide.”

Yield: makes about 2 cups

Time: 10 minutes

6 Scotch bonnet chiles, stemmed
2 cups chopped fresh mango
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 chopped red onion
1 Tbsp. honey
2 tsp. whole allspice berries
1 tsp. mustard powder
¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. coconut vinegar
Kosher salt

Instructions

To a blender, add the chiles, mango, garlic, onion, honey, allspice, and mustard powder. Pulse to break down the ingredients slightly, then add the coconut vinegar and blend until lightly chunky. Season to taste with salt. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 10 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.

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Strawberries with Wine

José Andrés — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:15 +0000

Photography by Murray Hall; Food Styling by Jessie YuChen

This strawberries with wine recipe from chef José Andrés makes the perfect end to an evening of grilling. Red wine is reduced with spices and bright citrus zest, then drizzled over fresh strawberries, ice cream, and grilled bread to make this simple, delicious dessert.

Featured in, “Menu: Chef José Andrés’ Fourth of July.”

Yield: 4

Time: 40 minutes

2 cups red wine
¹⁄₄ cup sugar
1 bay leaf
1 cinnamon stick
Finely grated zest of 1 lemon
Finely grated zest of 1 orange
Freshly ground black pepper
4 (¾-in. thick) slices white country bread
¹⁄₄ cup olive oil
1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
Vanilla ice cream, for serving
Mint leaves, for garnish

Instructions

In a medium saucepan, stir together the wine, sugar, bay leaf, cinnamon, lemon zest, orange zest, and black pepper. Bring to a boil over high heat, then turn the heat to medium-low and simmer until reduced to approximately ⅓ cup, about 30 minutes. Set a fine sieve over a medium bowl and pour in the sauce; keep warm.
Light a grill. Brush the bread with the olive oil and place on the grates; grill, turning once, until charred on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes.
To serve, divide the toast among 4 plates and top each with a scoop of ice cream and some of the strawberries. Drizzle the wine syrup over the berries, and garnish with mint. Serve immediately.

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Pimento Cheese

Brandon Martinez and John Bates — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:45:22 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY LINDA PUGLIESE; FOOD STYLING BY JASON SCHREIBER; PROP STYLING BY ELVIS MAYNARD

Chefs John Bates and Brandon Martinez of Austin, Texas’s now shuttered Noble Sandwich Co. added Sriracha to their beloved chunky pimento cheese, upping the spice factor and helping to offset the creaminess of the rich cheddar spread. We still like to slather it on everything, from sandwiches to Romaine spears. Here are our top picks for Sriracha sauces from the classic staples to regional recipes.

Yield: makes 2 sandwiches

Time: 15 minutes

6 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, coarsely grated
¼ cups plus 2 Tbsp. garlic aioli
2 tsp. Sriracha sauce
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3⁄4 tsp. paprika
3⁄4 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
2 medium scallions, finely chopped
1 roasted red bell pepper, peeled, seeded, and finely chopped
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Romaine lettuce

Instructions

To a medium bowl, add the cheddar cheese, aioli, Sriracha, cider vinegar, paprika, Worcestershire, scallions and roasted bell pepper; season to taste with salt and pepper, and stir to combine. Spread on sandwiches, or transfer to a wide bowl and serve with Romaine lettuce spears for dipping.

Our 50 Best Sandwiches from Around the World

Farideh Sadeghin

From the New Orleans oyster loaf to Vietnam’s banh mi, our best sandwich recipes showcase a world of innovation between two slices of bread.

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West African-Style Peanut Stew

Jessica B. Harris — Mon, 11 Feb 2019 14:10:42 +0000

PHOTOGRAPHY BY BELLE MORIZIO; FOOD STYLING BY CHRISTINE ALBANO; PROP STYLING BY CARLA GONZALEZ-HART

“Peanut stews are found across West Africa, with ancient roots in dishes made with native groundnuts before the peanut arrived from the New World in the 16th century,” writes Dr. Jessica B. Harris, historian and author of High on the Hog. “Some are thick and served over rice or millet couscous, others thin and soupy, depending on where in Africa you are.” This version, inspired by Malian maafe and Ghana’s groundnut stews, pairs chicken with a generous portion of okra, tomatoes, eggplant, and hot chiles, which lighten the stew’s intense richness. Still, it’s the indispensable peanut that gives this dish its essential earthy character.

Yield: 4–6

Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

⅓ cup vegetable oil
2 lb. bone-in chicken thighs, skin discarded, patted dry with paper towels
Kosher salt
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
¼ cup finely chopped ginger
4 dried chiles de árbol
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. ground turmeric
½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp. ground cumin
¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. fenugreek seeds
3 whole cloves
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
¾ cup smooth salted peanut butter
4 cups homemade chicken stock or low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned diced tomatoes
1 medium eggplant (about 1 lb.), peeled and cut into 1-in. cubes
10 okra pods (about 4 oz.), cut into 1-in. lengths
Steamed white rice, for serving
1 fresh red chile, such as peri-peri or bird’s-eye, thinly sliced
Roasted salted peanuts, coarsely chopped, for garnish

Instructions

To a pot set over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Season the chicken generously with salt and cook, turning once, until lightly browned on both sides, about 10 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside.
To the empty pot, add the onion, ginger, chiles de árbol, and the remaining oil and cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the coriander, turmeric, black pepper, cumin, cinnamon, fenugreek, and cloves and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, until slightly darkened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the peanut butter, tomatoes, reserved chicken, and chicken stock and turn the heat to high. When the liquid boils, turn down the heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered, until the chicken is done but not falling off the bone, about 25 minutes. Add the eggplant and okra and cook, stirring occasionally, until the chicken is very tender and the vegetables are soft, 25–30 minutes more. Season with salt to taste.
To serve, ladle the soup over rice, if desired, and sprinkle with the fresh chile and peanuts.

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Veal and Pearl Onion B’stilla

Suzanne Zeidy — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:48:30 +0000

Photography by Belle Morizio

B’stilla, a North African meat pie, is traditionally made with poultry. Cookbook author Suzanne Zeidy‘s take includes veal and caramelized pearl onions. When ordering the veal for this recipe, have your butcher remove the bone.

Featured in: “Lunch at the Desert’s Edge“

Yield: 8

Time: 3 hours

3 Tbsp. olive oil
10 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, divided, plus more as needed
1 lb. pearl onions, peeled
2¾-lb. boneless stew veal, cut into 2-in. chunks, patted dry with paper towels
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp. ground allspice
1 serrano chile, seeded, and finely chopped
4 cups veal or chicken stock
16 phyllo dough sheets (8 oz.), thawed

Instructions

To a large pot set over medium heat, add the olive oil, 2 tablespoons of the butter, and the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and deep golden brown, about 20 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to a bowl and set aside. To the empty pot, add the veal and turn the heat to medium-high. Season with salt and black pepper to taste and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned all over, about 12 minutes.
Add the nutmeg, allspice, and chile and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the stock and reserved onions and turn the heat to high. When the liquid boils, turn the heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered and stirring occasionally, until the veal flakes when poked with a fork, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Remove from the heat; when cool enough to handle, coarsely shred the meat, adding it back to the sauce; set aside.
Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Using some of the remaining butter, grease a 9-inch springform pan. Line the bottom of the pan with 1 phyllo sheet, letting the excess creep up the sides, then brush with melted butter. Repeat with 7 more phyllo sheets, brushing butter between the layers and rotating each new sheet one quarter turn so that the crust overlaps decoratively.
Using a silicone spatula, spread the veal mixture over the crust in an even layer. Fold the overhanging phyllo down onto the meat and brush with more butter. Drape 1 phyllo sheet on top of the pie, brush with butter, then top perpendicularly with another sheet. Repeat with the remaining sheets, brushing each new layer with butter, then tuck the phyllo corners down the sides of the pan. Brush all over with butter and bake until crackly and golden, about 40 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 10 minutes before unmolding. Serve warm or at room temperature.

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Curried Potato Salad

Subarna Bhattachan — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:47:38 +0000

Photography by Paola + Murray; Food Styling by Olivia Mack McCool; Prop Styling by Sophie Strangio

Nepal-born, Kansas-based chef Subarna Bhattachan folds a purée of cool yogurt, nutty tahini, and spicy red chiles into his fragrant take on potato salad. This recipe first appeared in our August/September 2013 Heartland issue with the story Salad Social.

Yield: serves 6-8

Kosher salt
2 lb. Yukon gold potatoes
⅓ cups extra-virgin olive oil
4 fresh bird’s eye chiles, coarsely chopped
¾ cups plain Greek yogurt
½ cups tahini
½ tbsp. curry powder
2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tbsp. finely grated lemon zest
Freshly ground black pepper
⅓ cups coarsely chopped cilantro
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Instructions

Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a boil. Add the potatoes and cook until tender, about 45 minutes. Drain the potatoes and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel and coarsely chop the potatoes, then transfer to a large bowl and set aside.
To a medium skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil; when hot, add chiles and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 1 minute; remove from heat.
Transfer the oil and chiles to a blender, then add the yogurt, tahini, curry powder, lemon juice and zest, salt, and black pepper; purée until smooth. Pour the dressing over the potatoes and stir in half of both the cilantro and scallions. Garnish with the remaining cilantro and scallions just before serving.

8 Perfect Potato Salad Recipes

Photography by Linda Xiao; Food Styling by Jason Schreiber; Prop Styling by Summer Moore

Nobody ever complained about too much potato salad. Virtually any combination of potatoes, salt, fat, and acid (lemon juice, vinegar, relish, what have you) is bound to taste fantastic, so it’s silly to stick to only the star-spangled mayonnaise-y variety that often graces cookouts—even if we do have a soft spot for it. So next time you’re tasked with bringing the potato salad, surprise your friends and family with one of these creative alternatives.

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The 9 Chile Crisps—Yes, 9—Our Culture Editor Always Stocks in Her Pantry

Megan Zhang — Fri, 22 Jul 2022 16:34:12 +0000

I go through so many jars of chile crisp that it may as well be another food group. A spoonful of aromatic chile flakes floating in spice-infused oil is the easiest way I know to take any dish to new heights. The condiment has been a staple ingredient in Chinese kitchens for centuries—and eaters around the world are increasingly catching on to its magic. The crunchy, savory, moderately spicy sauce is the ultimate cooking shortcut for elevating stir fries, dressing raw vegetables, and seasoning meats. (I keep my pantry stocked with several brands—see my cheat sheet below.)

“It adds a special fragrance to a dish without undermining other flavors,” says Wei Guo, the food blogger behind Red House Spice. When she was growing up in Northwest China’s Gansu Province, chile oil was a kitchen counter mainstay, as essential and ubiquitous as soy sauce or rice vinegar. Like many Chinese cooks, her family would make the condiment from scratch, toasting an assortment of seasonings such as star anise and bay leaves in oil before pouring the fragrant concoction over chile flakes. She was initially surprised to see the homely sauce take off in the U.S. during the pandemic, but the timing made sense: as people holed up indoors and tried to quickly ramp up their culinary skills (and avoid the monotony of quarantine), the ingredient’s ability to maximize flavor in practically every dish could make any home cook seem like a pro.

“Once people got a taste of what chile crisp could do for their homemade meals, they couldn’t stop,” says Elaine Luo, a Chongqing-based recipe developer who writes the blog China Sichuan Food. “All the seasonings you need are already right there in the jar. It’s convenient and makes cooking faster.” Lao Gan Ma, a ubiquitous chile sauce brand in China, has sprung from America’s Asian supermarkets into national grocery chains in recent years. The surge of interest helped catapult the spicy sauce company Fly By Jing into a household name that’s lining shelves at Whole Foods and Costco. (Earlier this year, a Los Angeles shop even used the brand’s sauce to develop a new ice cream flavor.) Other entrepreneurs, including chef David Chang and the husband-wife duo behind Big Spoon Sauce Co., were inspired by Lao Gan Ma and similar chile crisps and began selling their own peppery concoctions online to quarantined consumers.

Chile peppers have been in China for centuries, ever since European ships brought peppers from the Americas to trading hubs in Asia, according to historian Brian Dott’s The Chile Pepper in China: A Cultural Biography. Poorer regions that couldn’t readily access salt began using chiles to season food. Cooks especially embraced the ingredient in regions like southwest China’s Sichuan Province, where the plant’s sweat-inducing (and thus dampness-dispelling) properties came in handy for combating humidity.

Around the 1990s, as the economy opened up in the country, migrant workers from Western China began moving to coastal cities in search of work—and bringing their essential condiment with them. “It has a long shelf life because of the high oil content,” explains Luo. “Gradually, people in other parts of China got a taste and realized how delicious it was.” Many migrants also opened restaurants serving the regional flavors of their hometowns, introducing diners to the country’s culinary diversity and propelling chile-infused dishes into national awareness. Later, when waves of university students left the country to study abroad, “the heaviest things in their suitcases were jars of chile sauce,” adds Luo.

In popularizing fiery condiments throughout the country, Lao Gan Ma “played a very important role,” says Guo. By bottling the concoction and marketing it effectively (the brand’s name translates as “Old Godmother” and features Tao’s grandmotherly face on every jar), the company made the product a pantry staple in all reaches of China, not just the areas that historically consumed the crunchy condiment. And the fact that the entrepreneur’s self-made story resonated with customers didn’t hurt. “She’s a woman entrepreneur. She’s from a part of China that’s not very prosperous,” says Miranda Brown, who teaches Chinese cultural history at the University of Michigan. “It’s sort of a rags-to-riches story that I think makes people feel good.”

In recent years, Lao Gan Ma fervor has spread rapidly on social media (see John Cena proclaiming in Mandarin his adoration for the condiment), heating up the culinary scene in and outside China more than ever. In 2018, vanilla ice cream topped with chile oil became a hit in the spice-loving cities of Chongqing and Chengdu (McDonald’s capitalized on the buzz a few years later by releasing its own limited-edition sundae). In a collaboration for New York Fashion Week, e-commerce giant Alibaba even released hoodies emblazoned with Tao’s likeness.

Guo and Brown both liken the booming success of chile crisp to the interest that other spicy ingredients like gochujang, sambal, and sriracha have garnered and continue to generate in the U.S. With that popularity, though, comes a need to understand the diversity of chile crisp and where different iterations come from, Guo notes. “People tend to use the word Sichuan to cover everything spicy from China,” says Guo, but the world of Chinese chile oil is as wide-ranging as the country’s regional cuisines. She explains that in Shaanxi and Gansu Provinces, chile oil frequently includes Chinese black rice vinegar, while in Guizhou Province, cooks often add douchi, or fermented black soybeans. Around the country, the infinitely adaptable dish can feature everything from sesame seeds to roasted peanuts to dried shallots, all of which offer added crunch and savoriness.

Thankfully, chile crisps on the U.S. market today increasingly reflect that diversity—with innovative non-traditional add-ins to boot. These are some of the red-hot condiments I’m spooning over my meals, both sweet and savory.

Lao Gan Ma Spicy Chili Crisp

Courtesy of Lao Gan Ma

This wouldn’t be a proper list without a nod to the OG, which originated in Guizhou. It isn’t the only Chinese brand, nor is it necessarily the very best, but it is tasty and has opened the door for eaters around the world to dip into the chile crisp phenomenon. In China, even households that prefer to make their own from scratch often keep a bottle around for spice emergencies.

Fly By Jing Sichuan Chili Crisp

Courtesy of Fly By Jing

Since launching in 2018, this Kickstarter brand helmed by Sichuan native Jing Gao has become a massive success. The company’s signature crisp, which is made in Chengdu, features chiles sourced from Gao’s hometown and tongue-tingling Sichuan peppercorn.

Loud Grandma CBD Chili Crisp Oil

Courtesy of Loud Grandma

When Calvin Eng, chef of the Brooklyn restaurant Bonnie’s, and his friend Ben Gabriel were developing a spicy sauce, the duo decided to incorporate a special addition: hemp-infused extra-virgin olive oil. Fermented black soybeans and an assortment of chiles deliver exceptionally earthy flavor, revving up the taste buds while also chilling you out.

Momofuku Chili Crunch

Courtesy of Momofuku

This especially crunchy iteration of chile crisp, developed in 2020 by chef David Chang’s team at Momofuku Culinary Lab, draws inspiration from Lao Gan Ma and includes three varieties of Mexican chiles. The ratio of oil to crunchy bits is just right, ensuring you’ll get both crisp and drizzle in every spoonful.

The Spicy Mamas Garlic Chili Oil

Courtesy of The Spicy Mamas

Anyone who wants to intensify the heat will enjoy this garlicky creation in which funky fish sauce and umami-filled mushroom powder introduce new dimensions of flavor. The product comes in Classic Spice and Killer Spice, and there’s also a vegan option.

Boon Sauce

Courtesy of Boon

Chef Max Boonthanakit loves Lao Gan Ma but wished for even more heat, so he decided to make his own. Incorporating elements of his Thai heritage, his rendition of chile crisp is especially savory thanks to the inclusion of anchovies, making the sauce a particularly nice choice for cooking stews and stir fries.

Big Spoon Sauce Co. Chili Crisp

Courtesy of Big Spoon Sauce Co.

This sauce that launched last year brings crunch, sweetness, and smokiness to the table with ingredients like pepitas, brown sugar, and shallots. The brand, which produces its olive oil-based sauces in small batches in California, regularly pops up at farmers markets throughout the Golden State.

HCS Foods Chili Oil Sauce

Courtesy of HCS Foods

Created by a husband-wife team in Sacramento, California, this vegan-friendly condiment has a shorter ingredient list than most of the sauces in this round-up, but what does make it inside the jar (like leeks and sesame seeds) packs a savory punch.

Bowlcut Chili Crisp

Courtesy of Bowlcut

Newly launched in May 2022, this sauce brand comes from a trio of co-founders who were raised by Chinese immigrant restaurant owners—and who, yes, all once sported bowlcuts. Not the spiciest of the bunch, Bowlcut’s crisp delivers well-rounded flavor from three kinds of chiles, as well as tamari sauce and seaweed powder. (Customers who do want more heat can opt for the brand’s Spicy Chili Crisp instead.)

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21 Exciting Ways to Cook With Saffron

Benjamin Kemper — Mon, 18 Mar 2019 22:29:51 +0000

Photography by Linda Pugliese; Food Styling by Christine Albano; Prop Styling by Carla Gonzalez-Hart

Saffron is not your standard spice. Prized since antiquity, it is neither seed nor herb but rather the dried stigmas of the autumn crocus (Crocus sativus), which thrives in hot, dry places like Iran, Kashmir, and southern Spain. Each saffron crocus yields just three stigmas, which farmers pluck by hand and toast carefully to draw out their heady, floral fragrance that’s so mysterious it eludes all adjectives. Fifteen thousand stigmas equal roughly one ounce of saffron, making it the world’s most expensive spice by weight—a fun fact that might lead you to believe you can’t afford it. Nonsense: A few weightless threads are enough to turn a whole pot of soup or substantial dessert into a fragrant, orange-hued culinary masterpiece.

Two tips to keep in mind, saffron-wise: First, because counterfeit saffron is everywhere, it’s best to source it from a trusted retailer; give powdered saffron a pass and seek out deep red threads with as little yellowing as possible. Second, for maximal flavor and color, toast the saffron in a dry skillet, then grind it in a mortar and steep it in a tablespoon or two of hot water before adding to the dish.

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