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Grind the cooled, toasted cumin seeds and the salt in a spice grinder.

Store at room temperature, tightly covered.

Red Pepper Butter Sauce

blender tomato hot sauce

This is the hot sauce we make regularly at the restaurant to ladle over burritos, enchiladas, tostadas, casseroles, and stuffed vegetables. Cooking the onions and peppers quickly on high heat brings out flavor with less simmering time.

YIELDS 2 CUPS

TIME: 20 MINUTES

1 tablespoon vegetable oil or olive oil

1 medium onion, coarsely chopped

1 small or ½ large bell pepper, chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

¼ teaspoon cayenne or ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 15-ounce can of tomatoes

¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)

In a heavy saucepan or skillet, heat the oil until it is almost smoking. Stir in the onion and bell peppers and sprinkle with salt. Cook on high heat, stirring often, until the peppers are blistered and beginning to brown, about 4 minutes. Stir in the cumin, coriander, and cayenne or red pepper flakes and remove from the heat.

In a blender, purée the cooked onions and peppers with the tomatoes. Return the sauce to the pan, add the cilantro, and salt to taste. Simmer uncovered for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. (If the simmering sauce splatters, partially cover the pan.)

This sauce will keep in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks.

INGREDIENT NOTES If you use red bell pepper, the sauce will be a brighter red.

Substitute a fresh chile, seeded for a milder “hot,” for the cayenne; cook it with the onion. For a smoky flavor, use 1 or 2 tablespoons of canned chipotles in adobo sauce in place of cayenne.

serving & menu ideas

Simmer vegetables such as onions, peppers, and zucchini in the sauce and serve over cornbread. Try it on Mexican Polenta-Stuffed Peppers or to cook the eggs in Poached Huevos Rancheros.

creamy caper sauce

A rendition of creamy white sauce—capers, herbs, and lemon make it different.

YIELDS 2 CUPS

TIME: 20 MINUTES

¼ cup butter

¼ cup unbleached white flour

2½ cups hot milk

⅓ cup dry white wine (optional)

2 tablespoons drained capers

½ teaspoon dried tarragon or dill

¼ teaspoon salt

⅛ teaspoon black pepper

1 tablespoon lemon juice

In a heavy saucepan on low heat, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes, stirring constantly. Whisk in the hot milk, adding it in a slow, steady stream. Cook, stirring often, until the sauce is thickened, 4 to 5 minutes.

Stir in the wine, capers, tarragon or dill, salt, and pepper and continue to cook for 5 minutes.

Stir in the lemon juice and add more salt and pepper to taste. (If you don’t add the wine, you may need to add a little extra milk.)

serving & menu ideas

This sauce is delicious on fish. Try it on pasta, too; it’s especially pretty on spinach fettuccine topped with chopped tomatoes and grated Parmesan cheese. We sometimes add chunks of cooked salmon or steamed broccoli or cauliflower florets as well. Make extra to ladle on your favorite vegetable on a bed of couscous, rice, or noodles.

sauce niçoise

This pungent, quickly cooked sauce studded with olives and capers imparts the zesty flavors of southern France.

YIELDS 2 CUPS

TIME: 15 MINUTES

1 cup finely chopped tomatoes

½ cup chopped pitted kalamata olives

¼ cup chopped fresh parsley

2 tablespoons capers, drained

2 tablespoons lemon juice

black pepper

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed

½ teaspoon dried thyme

In a bowl, mix together the tomatoes, olives, parsley, capers, and lemon juice. Sprinkle generously with black pepper.

Warm the oil in a saucepan on low heat, add the garlic and thyme, and cook for a minute. Add the tomato mixture, increase the heat to medium-high, and simmer, stirring frequently, just until the tomatoes soften and become saucy, about