Feelin' Coulis.

So, in case it wasn't obvious, I eat a lot. I mean a LOT. And I love rich flavors- dark asian soy and sesame, french butter and wine reductions, Italian Carbonara... But today... I need something different. Something lighter. I’m not really in the mood for a vinaigrette, though, and something a little more complex than the standard S&P.

Enter the coulis. 

A coulis (pronounced Kool-ee. Think Coolio minus the “o”) is a raw or lightly cooked sauce made from some kind of fresh or roasted veggie  paired with a touch of oil, some kind of acidic, and aromatics (savory), or from fruit and a touch of sugar, spices, and/or citrus (sweet). In the end, I love using coulis simply because it keeps and expresses the flavor of the principal fruit or veggie so darn well.

One my personal favorites is the Roasted Red Pepper Coulis- it’s versatile, easy to make, and goes on LOTS of stuff. I eat it on scrambled eggs or omelets, roasted or grilled chicken, veggies of almost any kind, and any kind of lighter fish (say, halibut, tilapia, or opah, to name a few).

Roasted red pepper coulis (makes enough for roughly 4 servings)

3 roasted red peppers  

2 tsp sherry vinegar (use rice wine vinegar in a pinch) 

1 small shallot (diced) 

1 clove garlic (chopped) 

1 tbsp olive oil 

salt and pepper to taste

Place all ingredients in a blender or food processor, blend until smooth. adjust seasoning to suit your tastes. serve. Refrigerate any leftovers. 

Note- try out fresh red pepper for a brighter flavor.

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So you’ve had your awesome dinner, and now you’re in your kitchen, thinking “boy, I wish I could have a coulis with dessert, too...” well, WISH GRANTED. here’s a fruit coulis that can be made raw or cooked, and goes on plenty of desserts.

Strawberry coulis (roughly 4 servings)

2 cups hulled strawberries

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp lemon juice

roughly 1/4 cup water

1 pinch salt

Combine in food processor or blender, blend until smooth. Press through a fine-mesh strainer to remove the seeds. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until chilled. Serve on cake, ice cream, pastry, etc.

If you want your coulis a little thicker, place in a saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens.

Note- the water measurement is very much variable. start small and add gradually until you get the consistency and flavor you like. and remember, you can always add more, but can’t take it out.

Tip- always add a liiiiittle touch of salt to your sweet dishes. Salt helps to bring out the flavor of sweet ingredients, or most any ingredients. 

Until next time, feel saucy.

PS- I know there's no pretty pictures this week. Since these two recipes are pretty much place in a blender and serve (or blend, strain,  and serve) I didn't think it would be terribly fruitful to take pictures. If any of this is unclear, just comment, and I'll pop in some photos next time around.