Condiment

We can’t stress enough the importance of cleanliness when doing a recipe of this sort. That means a good washing of the jar and other equipment and yourself.

We champion this generalization: gentlemen eat their beef with steak sauce—the brown type, thick and sharp. Although we support Heinz ketchup and we think it calls for respect and pride, we don’t use bottled steak sauce. Here is an easy and tasty alternative. It is delicious with Filet de Boeuf (page 248).

Sauce Vin Rouge is our mother-ship sauce, good on all matters of protein. When seasoning this sauce, or any sauce, keep in mind that it won’t be consumed like a soup, so go ahead and be relatively liberal with the salt.

Here is another of our kitchen staples, which tastes like an extraction of the essence of onion soup. Awesome on liver, veal, beef, or even schnitzel, it’s the taste of winter in Paris.

Every year we buy a large jar of herbes salées in Kamouraska. It’s a typical Bas Du Fleuve product that lets you enjoy the taste of garden fresh herbs when the temperature is –4°F (–20°C) and your backyard is under a blanket of snow. It is essentially a big spoonful of herbs with carrots and onions that stay fresh because of the brine. You can use this traditional northern condiment with anything: potatoes, soups, seafood, lamb, gravies, terrines, and meat pies.

If you want long sticks of rhubarb, peel the rhubarb first. If you want 1/2-inch (12-mm) chunks, don’t bother peeling it. This is pickle in a small amount, so don’t bother canning it, either. But do keep it in a proper (sparkling clean, tight cap) container in the fridge, where it will keep for up to a month. We serve this pickle with charcuterie and cheeses.

Most Dijon mustard that is shipped to North America from France is made with seeds from Saskatchewan, Canada. Hence, it makes sense that we make our own mustard. Feel free to experiment with the types of vinegar and flavorings (tarragon, horseradish, dill).

This is our infamous rib sauce.

This is a staple in pretty much every professional kitchen, and with this easy method, it could be in yours, too. We like to eat the crudités with our Zesty Italian Tartare (page 245).

A classic mayo.

Southern cooks use their chile-infused vinegar to add a tart, floral kick to dishes like chicken or greens. You can also use it to wake up salad dressings. Customize it by adding bourbon or fruit liqueur and using your favorite chiles.

Serve this simple compote with yogurt for breakfast, or spoon it over ice cream for dessert.

You'll need to start these pickles a day ahead, so plan accordingly.

This is part of the recipe Chicken Wings Five Ways.

Although it might sound exotic, savory chutney has a time-honored place on nearly every American’s Thanksgiving table in the form of cranberry sauce. Chutneys are flexible, versatile condiments that add a nice sweet-sour note to roasted meats, sandwiches, and cheese platters. Although sour cherries add a lovely tangy punch to this chutney, you could also use golden raisins, dried cranberries, diced dried apricots, or nearly any other dried fruit. Instead of the pears, you can use apples—as long as it’s a variety that will hold its shape after cooking. This is best made a day or two in advance so all the flavors have a chance to come together.