Ugandan Groundnut Sauce

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Variations on this hot sauce appear all over Africa, with the key 
ingredient being peanuts in any form. Here, peanut butter works 
well--and it's the cook's choice to use smooth or crunchy! Ladle it over 
fried chicken or fish.

Ingredients

1/2 pound dried fish, such as salt cod, coarsely chopped
4 1/2 cups water
2 onions, chopped
2 teaspoons peanut oil
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 teaspoons cayenne powder
1 teaspoon curry powder (or to taste)
1 cup peanut butter
Salt to taste

Instructions

Soak the dried fish in 2 cups of water until it becomes soft. Drain and 
pat dry.
In a large skillet, fry the onions in the oil until brown, about five 
minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook uncovered for 5 minutes. Add the 
fish, curry, cayenne, remaining water, peanut butter, and salt. Simmer, 
uncovered, for 45 minutes, or until the sauce thickens to the desired 
consistency.

Piment Limón (Citrus Hot Sauce)

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Here is my version of the classic hot sauce of Rórigues Island in the 
Mascarenes. It is very thick, so feel free to thin with more water if 
you want. You’d think that this sauce might be sour, but it’s not–the 
sugar in the red chiles seems to temper the tart lemons. Any fresh red 
chiles can be used, and you can adjust the heat level to your liking. 
The yield is high here, but the color is so beautiful that you should 
put the excess in decorative bottles as gifts for your friends. It will 
keep for several weeks in the refrigerator. Serve it over fish or other 
seafood.

Ingredients

6 cups water
10 lemons, thickly sliced, seeds removed (or substitute limes for a 
different color)
8 to 10 red jalapeños, seeds and stems removed, halved
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Instructions

Place the water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Add the lemon slices 
and boil for 20 minutes. Strain, reserving the water.
Place the jalapeños in a blender and add the oil. Puree to make a thick 
paste. Add the lemon slices, a few at a time, along with 3 cups of the 
reserved water, a half cup at a time. You may have to do this in batches 
in you don’t have a large blender. Puree to a thick sauce. Pour into 
bottles and label.

Himalayan Chile Sauce

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From one of my far-flung writers, Linda Lynton, this recipe is a basic 
sauce from northern India and Nepal. She noted: “Although this specific 
recipe was given to me by a Patna housewife, some peasants originating 
from a remote Himalayan village in Central Nepal and housewives from an 
equally remote village in North Bihar gave us the same recipe.” Use it 
as a topping for chicken, fish, or vegetables.

Ingredients

 

1 pound fresh green chiles, such as serranos or jalapeños, seeds and 
stems removed,
4 small potatoes, peeled and boiled
1/2 cup white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
Water as needed

Instructions

 

Combine all ingredients in batches in a blender and process to a fine 
puree, using water as needed to achieve the desired consistency.

Romesco Sauce

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Romesco is a classic Spanish sauce that is served with a wide variety of 
dishes, including the famous tortilla Española from the Tarragona 
region, this classic Catalan sauce combines almonds with two of the most 
popular horticultural imports from the New World—chiles and tomatoes. 
The sauce gets its name from the romesco chile, but these are not 
readily available outside Spain. A combination of ancho and New Mexican 
chiles approximates the flavor.

Ingredients

1 ancho chile, stem and seeds removed
2 dried red New Mexican red chiles, stems and seeds removed
1/2 cup toasted almonds
5 cloves garlic, unpeeled
2 tomatoes, unpeeled
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil, preferably Spanish
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200ºF.
Place the chiles, almonds, garlic, and tomatoes on a baking pan and 
roast in the oven until the nuts are toasted, the chiles are fragrant, 
and the skins of the tomatoes and garlic are blistered. The nuts will 
take about 5 minutes, the tomatoes about 20, and the chiles somewhere in 
between. Check frequently to be sure nothing burns.
Allow the ingredients to cool. Place the almonds in a spice mill or 
coffee grinder and process to a powder. Place the chiles in a bowl, 
cover with hot water, and allow them to steep for 15 minutes to soften. 
Drain the chiles and discard the water. Remove the skins from the 
tomatoes and garlic.
Put the almonds, chiles, tomatoes, garlic, and vinegar in a blender or 
food processor and puree to a smooth paste, adding a little oil if 
necessary.
Transfer the paste to a bowl and slowly whisk in the oil, 1 teaspoon at 
a time, until half of the oil is absorbed. Gradually add the remaining 
oil. Season with the salt and pepper.
Allow the sauce to sit for an hour or two to blend the flavors.

Texas Green Sauce

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When you order "green sauce" in Texas, this is what you will be served. 
It differs from New Mexico's green sauce in that the color is derived 
from tomatillos rather than from green chiles. This sauce can be used as 
a dipping sauce, with enchiladas, or as a topping for grilled poultry or 
fish.

Ingredients

3 pounds tomatillos
1 bunch green onions
1 small bunch cilantro
1 tablespoon garlic in oil
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoons chicken base dissolved in 2 tablespoons water
6 serrano chiles, stems removed

Instructions

Roast the tomatillos in a roasting pan under the broiler until they are 
brown and squishy. Turn them over with a pair of tongs and repeat the 
process. Take the roasted tomatillos, including all the liquid from the 
roasting process, and combine them with the remaining ingredients in a 
food processor and puree.
In a saucepan, simmer this mixture for ten minutes before serving or 
incorporating into another recipe.