AFC PICCATA SAUCE
An animal-free uptick on the traditional lemon juice, butter and capers sauce used for meats and fish. Now we make an even better sauce and use it over plant meats! And most anything veggie!
Makes almost 3 cups
3 c. apple cider
3 chicken-style bouillon cubes, massel brand
1 T. dried tarragon
2 t. garlic powder
1 t. onion powder
2 T. fresh lemon squeeze
2 T. extra virgin olive oil
3 T. sm. capers including some juice
1 t. pink Himalayan salt plus to taste
fresh grind black pepper to taste
1/2 c. cider mixed with 1/4 c. flour in jar with tight-fitting lid and shaken vigorously till flour completely dissolves
fresh tarragon leaves for added flavor (optional but nice)
In large saucepan, over medium heat, combine cider, bouillon cubes, tarragon, garlic and onion powders. Cook till boiling, then smash the bouillon cubes with a masher till dissolved. Cook about 3 minutes.
Add lemon juice, olive oil, capers, salt and black pepper. Stir well, return to slow boil and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add cider and flour mixture, stirring continuously till thickened.
Add optional tarragon leaves, reduce heat to low and cook about 15 minutes, stirring as needed.
Salt and pepper to taste.
Remove from heat, cool to room temperature, then pack in covered container and refrigerate till ready to use.
When ready to use reheat in large saucepan. If the sauce is too thin, this is the time to thicken it a little with 1-2 T. flour shaken till dissolved in 1/4-1/3 c. cider. Add to slow boiling sauce, stirring till thickened, then continue to cook at low heat till all remnants of flour taste are gone, about 5-7 minutes. Stir as needed.
Use over pan-fried veggie chicken or vegetables, over toast, potatoes, stuffing, rice or pasta.
Notes: Usually, I would make a white wine sauce here, but decided instead to substitute apple cider in its place. It worked well. Apple juice isn’t the same; the flavor isn’t strong enough to match a white wine.
I made a second batch right away to use through the holidays as my ‘go to’ gravy.
If you wonder why this recipe yields almost 3 cups, yet there are more than 3 cups ingredients, it’s the binding that occurs between the flour and other ingredients while cooking, that reduces its size.
ANIMAL-FREE SOUS-CHEF™ 