5 Ingredients: Five Summer Sauces
Liven up your summer menus, without gobs of extra calories and fat. Here are five totally different sauces bursting with seasonal flavors -- each with 5 ingredients or less.
This fresh take on pesto is delicious atop pasta, chicken or fish.
Combine arugula, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, zest, salt and pepper in a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Pulse until smooth. With the machine on, slowly pour in olive oil. Blend until smooth. Serve immediately or refrigerate for up to one week.
For another take on pesto, make my version with in-season garlic scapes.
This Argentinean condiment gives a punch of herbaceous flavor to steak or grilled vegetables.
3 cups fresh green herbs (a combination of parsley, oregano and cilantro recommended)
Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well to combine. Allow to sit for 30 to 60 minutes at room temperature before serving.
Serve this Greek yogurt sauce with lamb kebabs, grilled salmon or shrimp, or smeared on slices of crusty bread. Chop or grate the cucumber depending on how much texture you like.
Combine ingredients in a bowl and mix well. For best results, allow to chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes before serving. Can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
*If you choose to use grated cucumber, allow to drain on a paper towel before adding to the yogurt to remove excess liquid.
A garnish more than a sauce, this traditional topping for Osso Bucco also gives a lemony flare to roasted potatoes.
Combine ingredients in a small bowl, toss and serve.
This classic Spanish sauce is comprised of tomatoes and/or peppers and almonds. For this recipe, we chose sweet and tangy peppadew peppers (available in the pickle section of most grocery stores). Spoon over grilled fish or poultry or spread on sandwiches. For an even thicker sauce, add torn pieces of toasted day-old bread before blending.
Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small skillet. Add garlic and sauté gently for 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Combine garlic oil, remaining oil, peppers, almonds, vinegar salt and pepper in a food processor and process until smooth. Serve immediately or store in the refrigerator for up to one week.
*If you can’t find Marcona almonds, substitute dry roasted or raw almonds.
Dana Angelo White, MS, RD, ATC, is a registered dietitian, certified athletic trainer and owner of Dana White Nutrition, Inc., which specializes in culinary and sports nutrition. See Dana's full bio »