Having fish for dinner? Forget the tartar sauce.
Tartar sauce is a classic accompaniment to fish; its creamy mayonnaise base is accentuated by tart lemon juice, mustard, and diced pickles. Unfortunately, when people have fish for dinner they can get stuck in the tartar sauce rut. With a little creativity, your ho-hum seafood entr e can be elevated to gourmet fare.
Cocktail Sauce
While this condiment is normally paired with shellfish, cocktail sauce can offer a refreshing twist to fried fish that is normally slathered in tartar sauce. This sauce is deceptively easy to make; ketchup, lemon juice and horseradish are this seemingly gourmet condiment's basic ingredients. For a simple cocktail sauce, combine ½ cup of ketchup, 1 tbsp. of prepared horseradish and 1 tsp. of lemon juice. Feel free to change the ratio of ingredients; for a milder cocktail, for example, use less horseradish. If you're feeling adventurous, add a little hot sauce or Worcestershire to your cocktail sauce to give it an additional kick.
Aioli
Aioli is a traditional French garlic sauce that can complement many varieties of fish. Essentially a homemade garlic mayonnaise, aioli can also be used as a vegetable dip and sandwich condiment. Place four cloves of garlic and 1/8 tsp. salt into a food processor; pulse until finely ground. Transfer the minced garlic to a bowl. Whisk in 1 tsp. of Dijon mustard until the garlic and salt are fully incorporated; beat two raw egg yolks into the mustard mixture. Drizzle ½ cup of extra virgin olive oil into the bowl, whisking constantly until the mixture comes together; the oil should blend in completely and not separate. Add ½ tsp. of cold water and 1 tsp. of lemon juice to the sauce; whisk until thoroughly combined. Slowly drizzle in more olive oil until the aioli becomes the consistency of thin mayonnaise. Use a light hand with the oil; the aioli will continue to thicken the more you blend it.
Chutney
Similar to salsa or relish, chutney can be made with a wide range of ingredients and has no set recipe. Fruits, vegetables and herbs all have a place in this versatile condiment. To add an exotic finish to blackened fish, try classic mango chutney. Heat oil in a saut pan; add red chili flakes, to taste, until just toasted. Add diced onion and bell peppers and cook until soft. Add grated ginger to flavor the oil. Once the mixture is aromatic, add coarsely chopped fresh mango and saut until the mango is slightly softened. Create a dressing of pineapple juice, sugar, curry powder and vinegar. Combine the mango mixture with the dressing and simmer until the flavors are combined. If desired, add coarsely chopped nuts and raisins to add texture to the chutney.
Cucumber-Dill Sauce
Many fish dishes -- especially salmon -- can be accentuated with a simple finish of cucumber-dill sauce. This creamy sauce will play off of the unctuous flavor of oil-rich fish and provide a refreshing background flavor to your entr e. Grate a cucumber on the wide-holed side of a box grater. Lightly salt the cucumber shreds and place on a paper towel to drain for 10 minutes. Mix 1 cup of plain Greek-style yogurt with 1 tbsp. of mayonnaise. Add dill weed to taste -- fresh is best, but if using dried only use half the amount you would of fresh. Add the cucumber, one small clove of minced fresh garlic, a splash of lemon juice and a pinch of salt, if desired; stir to combine. Refrigerate the sauce for at least one hour before serving.
Tags: lemon juice, cocktail sauce, coarsely chopped, fish dinner, garlic salt
