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a tablespoon of hot water and set aside for a few minutes. Crush the saffron with the back of a spoon to infuse the water with the saffron flavor. Stir the saffron water into the aioli. As it sits, the saffron will continue to bleed into the aioli, so stir before serving.

cilantro lime dressing

The clean, fresh flavors of cilantro and lime make this one of our all-time favorite dressings. If you like a smooth, emulsified dressing, make it in a blender.

YIELDS ¾ CUP

TIME: 10 MINUTES

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 or 2 thinly sliced scallions

¼ cup lime juice

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)

¼ cup olive oil

Whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl. Or for a bright green, smooth dressing, in a blender on low speed, whirl the cilantro, scallions, lime juice, salt, and red pepper flakes, if using, until smooth. Add the olive oil in a steady stream and as soon as the dressing is thick, turn off the blender.

Store in the refrigerator for up to a week.

serving ideas

Adds a wonderful flavor to rice, potato, or bean salads, such as Southwestern Black Bean Salad. Delicious drizzled on avocado cubes or shredded jicama. Excellent as a dressing for fish or shrimp.

cocktail sauce

Who knew that putting together a robust little cocktail sauce was so easy? Plus it doesn’t have the corn syrup and flavor enhancers of commercially prepared sauce.

YIELDS ¾ CUP

TIME: 5 MINUTES

½ cup ketchup

¼ cup prepared horseradish

2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients.

Keeps in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 weeks.

tartar sauce

Easy to put together in a couple of minutes and much fresher-tasting than commercial products. Makes a familiar topping for fish and other seafood and a great sandwich spread.

YIELDS ¾ CUP

TIME: 5 MINUTES

½ cup mayonnaise

¼ cup pickle relish

2 teaspoons lemon juice

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, relish, and lemon juice.

Will keep in the refrigerator for a couple of weeks.

INGREDIENT NOTE For the relish, substitute ¼ cup finely chopped sweet or dill pickles, an additional teaspoon of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of sugar if you wish.

variations

For extra flavor, add a tablespoon of minced scallions or red onions, a tablespoon of minced capers, a teaspoon of minced fresh dill or tarragon, or a few drops of Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce.

Po’ Boy Sandwich

duck sauce

Once you’ve made this easy Duck Sauce, you’ll never go back to store-bought!

YIELDS ¾ CUP

TIME: 5 MINUTES

⅔ cup peach or apricot preserves

2 tablespoons white or cider vinegar

4 teaspoons soy sauce

Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl.

Store in the refrigerator; it will keep for at least a month.

serving ideas

Serve this as a dipping sauce for Easy Egg Rolls or any time you need a little sweet-and-sour jolt on a stir-fry or sauté.

barbecue sauce

Easy, no-fuss sauce for your favorite barbecue.

YIELDS ¾ CUP

TIME: 5 MINUTES

⅔ cup ketchup

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard

2 teaspoons white or cider vinegar

2 teaspoons brown sugar or honey

1 to 3 teaspoons Tabasco or other hot pepper sauce, chili paste, or adobo sauce from chipotles

In a small bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients.

Store in the refrigerator; it will keep for at least a month.

pineapple chutney

This colorful chutney, better than any you can buy in a jar, adds a sweet-and-sour note to curries, baked tofu, or any spicy dish and can even put a new spin on that same old peanut butter sandwich.

YIELDS 1½ CUPS

TIME: 20 MINUTES

1 20-ounce can of pineapple chunks in juice

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

½ teaspoon black mustard seeds

1½ teaspoons grated peeled ginger root

¼ cup raisins

2 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons cider vinegar

pinch of salt

Drain the pineapple, reserving the juice. Chop the pineapple chunks a bit.

In a saucepan, heat the oil until hot but not smoking.