Sauces. They really do make or break a meal. That’s why a saucier is so important in commercial kitchens. But how to eco-up something that can have a ton of ingredients? Easy. Make sure the ingredients (as many as you may want) are as “green” as you can get.
Here’s a recipe for an apricot barbecue sauce. I think the sauce tastes absolutely great (I happened to eat it on fish) and I think it could be really good on chicken (organic and free-range of course), seitan, or tofu. You could also sub the apricots for other seasonal fruits such as peaches.
Apricot Barbecue Sauce
- 1/2 small Yellow Onion, chopped
- 1 clove Garlic, minced
- 3-4 Apricots, pitted and sliced
- 1/4 cup Vegetable Broth
- 1/2 tsp. Ground Ginger
- 1/4 tsp. Ground Coriander
- Salt and Pepper, to taste
- 1/8 cup Molasses
- 1 tbsp. Maple Syrup
- 3 tbsp. Tomato Sauce
- 2 tbsp. Tamari Soy Sauce
Saute the onions until brown. Then add the garlic. Deglaze the pan with the veggie broth. Add the apricots, ginger, and coriander and bring to a boil. Cover and lower to a simmer for 10 minutes. Uncover and add the remaining ingredients. Cook for 10 more minutes and then transfer to a food processor. Blend until smooth. Top your chicken, tofu, seitan, or fish with it. Yum yum!
ECO-BENEFITS
- Using seasonal, local produce (like the apricots) leads to tastier products that are better for the environment. Win win!
- Buying organic spices and vegetables helps to alleviate pesticides from poisoning our watersheds.
- Vegetable broth is a great alternative to chicken stock if you’re trying to avoid using so many animal products.
- The fruit salad I had on the side of the dish is a hodge podge. You can really make it with any fruit you’re trying to rid your refrigerator of.
- If you’re using fish, check out the Monterey Bay Aquarium’s Seafood Watch List to know which fish are sustainable and which you should be avoiding due to overfishing.