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THE HUGGINS FAMILY

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Sauces

Classic and global sauces — creamy, spicy, tangy, sweet, and everything in between.

  • Mexican Tomato Sauce

    Mexican Tomato Sauce

    This classic Mexican-style tomato sauce is richly flavored with roasted tomatoes, onion, garlic, and a touch of Mexican oregano. Tomato bouillon adds umami depth, while a hint of lime or vinegar brightens the flavor. It’s a perfect complement to enchiladas, chiles rellenos, burritos, and rice dishes—smooth, versatile, and beautifully balanced.

    Ingredients

    • 5 ripe Roma tomatoes (or two 14.5 oz cans fire-roasted tomatoes)
    • ½ medium onion, chopped
    • 2–3 cloves garlic
    • ½ tsp Mexican oregano
    • 1 tbsp tomato bouillon with chicken (Knorr or similar)
    • 3 tbsp avocado oil
    • 1–2 tbsp tomato paste
    • ½–1 tsp lime juice or ¼ tsp apple cider vinegar (optional, for brightness)
    • kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper, to taste

    Directions

    Roast the Vegetables

    Place tomatoes (if using fresh), chopped onion, and garlic on a baking sheet and roast at 450ºF (230ºC) for 15–20 minutes, until blistered and slightly charred.

    Blend the Sauce

    Transfer roasted vegetables to a blender. Add Mexican oregano and tomato bouillon. Blend until smooth and uniform.

    Sauté & Simmer

    Heat avocado oil in a deep skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Carefully pour in the blended sauce—it should sizzle on contact. Stir, bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until reduced by about half and thickened.

    Finish the Sauce

    Whisk in tomato paste to enrich the color and texture. Simmer gently for 1–2 minutes to bloom the paste and deepen sweetness. Adjust consistency with a splash of chicken broth or water if needed. Add lime juice or vinegar (if using), and season to taste with salt and pepper. For an extra-smooth texture, strain through a fine-mesh sieve before serving.

    Notes

    Preparation

    • Taste the sauce before adding salt—tomato bouillon already contributes salinity.
    • Blooming the tomato paste for 1–2 minutes enhances color, sweetness, and depth.
    • Simmer until the sauce lightly coats the back of a spoon for proper texture.
    • For deeper roasted flavor, char the tomatoes directly over a flame before blending.

    Serving Suggestions

    • Use as the base for Mexican rice, enchiladas, burritos, chilaquiles, or wet burritos.
    • Serve with grilled chicken, carne asada, carnitas, or roasted vegetables.

    Make-Ahead & Storage

    • The sauce deepens in flavor after resting overnight.
    • Refrigerate in an airtight jar for up to 5 days.
    • Freeze up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator.
    • Reheat gently over low heat; add a splash of broth or water if it becomes too thick.
  • Tartar Sauce

    Tartar Sauce

    This creamy, tangy tartar sauce comes together in minutes and tastes far fresher than anything store-bought. Bright citrus, briny capers, and herbs make it a perfect companion for fried fish, crab cakes, or roasted vegetables.

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup mayonnaise
    • ½ cup dill relish
    • 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
    • 1 tbsp fresh parsley (or 1 tsp dried)
    • 1 small shallot, finely chopped (or ½ tsp onion powder)
    • 1 tbsp lemon or lime juice
    • 1 tsp lemon or lime zest
    • 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
    • 1 tsp Dijon mustard
    • ¼ tsp Tapatío hot sauce
    • salt & pepper, to taste

      • Optional Add-Ins

    • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon (or 1 tsp dried)
    • ½ tbsp fresh dill (or ½ tsp dried)
    • 1 tsp honey
    • ¼ cup crème fraîche or sour cream

    Directions

    Mix the Sauce

    Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl until well combined.

    Chill for at least 1 hour before serving to let the flavors meld.

    Notes

    Preparation

    • Please taste and adjust acidity—add more citrus juice if serving with rich fried foods.
    • For a chunkier texture, use whole dill pickles and hand-chop them instead of relish.
    • Fresh herbs brighten the sauce significantly, but dried herbs still work well.

    Serving Suggestions

    • Serve with beer-battered halibut, fish sticks, crab cakes, or shrimp.
    • Use as a spread for fish sandwiches or grilled chicken.
    • Try as a dip for roasted potatoes or fries.

    Variations

    • Swap dill relish for chopped cornichons for a sharper, French-style flavor.
    • Add a pinch of smoked paprika for a subtle smoky note.
    • Fold in a spoonful of crème fraîche for a lighter, silkier version.

    Make-Ahead & Storage

    • Keeps 4–5 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
    • Stir before serving, as some separation is normal.
    • Not suitable for freezing due to the mayonnaise base.
  • Browned Butter Sage Sauce

    Browned Butter Sage Sauce

    A quick, elegant sauce that pairs beautifully with ricotta or potato gnocchi. Simple to prepare, it highlights the nutty aroma of browned butter and the earthy perfume of fresh sage. When served with gnocchi, a pinch of nutmeg in the dough adds warm, slightly sweet notes that complement the savory depth of the sage. This classic combination appears throughout Italian cooking—in pasta, meatballs, gnocchi, and creamy soups—where sage contributes its herbaceous edge and nutmeg lends a subtle, cozy warmth.

    Ingredients

    • 6 tbsp unsalted butter (85 g)
    • 8–10 fresh sage leaves
    • ⅛ tsp table salt (or to taste)
    • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
    • 2 tbsp grated parmesan (optional, for finishing)
    • ½ tsp lemon juice (optional, brightens flavor)

    Directions

    Brown the Butter

    In a medium skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the sage leaves and cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter turns deep golden and smells nutty, about 4–5 minutes. The sage will crisp slightly as it fries.


    Finish the Sauce

    Remove from heat and stir in salt, black pepper, and lemon juice if using. Serve the sage leaves whole or remove them depending on preference.


    Serve

    Toss hot, drained gnocchi directly in the pan with the brown butter sauce until evenly coated. Serve immediately with freshly grated parmesan.

    Notes

    Preparation

    • Watch closely—brown butter goes from nutty to burnt quickly. Remove from heat as soon as the milk solids turn golden.
    • Create a silkier sauce by swirling in 1–2 tbsp pasta or gnocchi cooking water to form a light emulsion.
    • For deeper sage flavor, crisp the leaves for an extra 30 seconds before removing the pan from heat.

    Serving Suggestions

    • Drizzle over ricotta gnocchi, potato gnocchi, or sweet potato gnocchi.
    • Excellent on cheese ravioli, butternut squash ravioli, or spinach ravioli.
    • Also delicious over roasted vegetables, grilled chicken, or sautéed mushrooms.

    Variations

    • Garlic Brown Butter: Add one lightly crushed garlic clove to the skillet during browning; remove before serving.
    • Brown Butter & Walnut: Stir in ¼ cup toasted chopped walnuts for added crunch.
    • Lemon-Sage Butter: Increase lemon juice to 1 tsp and add ½ tsp lemon zest for brightness.

    Make-Ahead & Storage

    • Best served immediately after browning.
    • Refrigerate leftover sauce up to 3 days; rewarm gently over low heat before serving.
    • Sage leaves soften in storage—crisp fresh leaves separately if reheating.