Condiments are used to enhance a bland food or to increase the taste value of good food to a higher level. They can also offer a degree of eye appeal to the entree. The problem with condiments is what to use when. Other than the obvious ketchup for fries and mayonnaise or mustard for sandwiches, people have the refrigerator door stocked full of different condiments but they barely experiment beyond the norm to optimize the multiple uses for what they already have.
Instructions
1. Experiment with condiments. Mixing condiments creates new and more flavorful ones. Tartar sauce can be made with mayonnaise, sweet relish and lemon juice. Ketchup, mayonnaise and sweet relish can make a Thousand Island dressing. Hamburg relish is ketchup and sweet relish. Make smaller portions of these add-on condiments so they don't tie up space and expire in storage before you use them.
2. Expand your horizons. Instead of using the three basic condiments, substitute chili sauce or salsa for ketchup, mix mustard and mayonnaise with horseradish or Tabasco sauce or both. You'll learn what goes together and what does not.
3. A jar of sweet pickles can be minced up with some of the juice to make your own sweet relish. You can then add the relish to other condiments to make new condiments. Mince some olives or a sour pickle into the sweet relish to give it a whole new and improved taste.
4. Search for recipes on use condiments to make your own relishes, salsas, salad dressings and barbecue sauces so that you're not tying up space and money with add-on condiments (which are made by the same ingredients you may already have in your kitchen).
5. Plan your meals. People often plan meals and then take the condiments for granted. But if you plan the meal with the specific condiments in mind, you can apply these steps to make more robust condiments to go with the meal and save space in your refrigerator and cupboards and money in your pocket.
6. Organize your kitchen and cupboards. Keeping the number of condiments you need down helps you free up space and when it comes time for shopping, it's easier to determine what you need.
Tags: sweet relish, add-on condiments, already have, condiments make, condiments they