Chef Johns White Sauce Recipes

GRILLED SWORDFISH WITH WHITE HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Crush the habanero and kosher salt into a fine paste with a mortar and pestle before whisking in mayonnaise, horseradish, lemon juice, vinegar, white pepper, and garlic powder.
• Strain sauce through a fine mesh strainer before using to remove the pepper skins and particles of horseradish. Set aside until needed.
• Preheat a charcoal grill until coals are very hot.
• Coat filets on both sides with olive oil and season with salt.
• Place filets on the preheated grill, flipping as needed, until they spring back lightly to the touch. Remove from heat.
• Plate fish as desired and top with white hot sauce and green onions.

ALABAMA-STYLE WHITE BARBECUE SAUCE

Steps:

• Mix mayonnaise, vinegar, horseradish, lemon juice, black pepper, mustard, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder together in a bowl. Whisk together thoroughly until creamy and smooth. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

CHEF JOHN'S SALMON LOAF

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Generously butter a loaf pan.
• Melt butter over medium heat in a saute pan until bubbling. Toss in onion, give the pan a quick shake, and stir with a wooden spoon; cook for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and allow to cool.
• Place salmon in a large mixing bowl and mash with a fork. Add cracker crumbs, salt, cayenne pepper, Worcestershire sauce, rice vinegar, butter, and onions; mix and mash with a spatula or spoon until smooth.
• Separate eggs, adding whites to a clean glass, metal, or ceramic bowl and adding yolks to salmon mixture. Mix egg yolks and salmon until well combined.
• Whisk whites to medium stiff peaks. Gently fold into salmon mixture in 2 additions.
• Transfer salmon mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Smooth the top with a spatula to even it out and shake and tap the pan to remove any air bubbles.
• Bake in the center of the preheated oven until a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes, then carefully turn loaf out onto a cutting board. Slice and serve.

CHEF JOHN'S TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place olive oil, onion, celery, and a pinch of salt into a large heavy saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat. Cook until onions are very soft, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Mix garlic into onion mixture and cook just until fragrant, about 1 more minute.
• Pour tomatoes and their juice into a large mixing bowl and use your hands to crush the tomatoes until they look pureed.
• Mix sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, anchovy paste, white wine vinegar, Italian herbs, and red pepper flakes into vegetable mixture. Raise heat to medium and cook just until liquid has evaporated. Stir in tomato paste and bring to a simmer. Pour in San Marzano tomatoes and parsley. Bring sauce to a simmer, turn heat to low, and simmer for 1 1/2 hours, adding a little water as the sauce cooks down. Stir occasionally.

CHEF JOHN'S CREAMY MUSHROOM PASTA

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir white and shiitake mushrooms in the hot oil with a pinch of salt until until the juice from the mushrooms evaporates and the mushrooms are browned, about 10 minutes.
• Stir garlic into mushrooms and cook for 1 minute; pour in sherry and cook until wine is nearly evaporated. Mix chicken stock into mushroom mixture; season with salt and black pepper. Bring to a simmer, reduce heat, and cook until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
• Pour cream into mushroom mixture, stir to combine, and simmer for 5 minutes. Mixture will foam and thicken slightly.
• Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil. Stir in the fettuccine, bring back to a boil, and cook pasta over medium heat until cooked through but still firm to the bite, about 8 minutes. Drain but do not rinse pasta; transfer to a large serving bowl and keep warm.
• Stir thyme, chives, and tarragon into mushroom sauce and turn off heat; mix 1/2 cup Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese into sauce until cheese has melted.
• Pour all the mushroom sauce and half the mushrooms over pasta, reserving about half the mushrooms in the skillet. Toss pasta in sauce until coated; top with remaining mushrooms and remaining 1 tablespoon Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese for garnish.

CHEF JOHN'S CHIMICHURRI SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine oil, garlic, vinegar, salt, cumin, red pepper flakes, black pepper, cilantro, oregano, and parsley in a blender.
• Pulse blender 2 to 3 times; scrape down the sides using a rubber spatula. Repeat pulsing and scraping process until a thick sauce forms, about 12 times.

RIGATONI AL SEGRETO (RIGATONI WITH SECRET SAUCE)

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onions, salt. Cook until no longer white and starting to turn translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic; cook about 1 minute. Add chili flakes and blended tomato sauce. Bring to a simmer; adjust heat to medium to medium-low. Simmer gently, stirring occasionally, for 45 to 60 minutes. Reduce heat to low.
• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook rigatoni in the boiling water, stirring occasionally until tender yet firm to the bite, about 8 minutes (5 minutes from doneness).
• Add about 2/3 of the basil to the sauce. Stir in butter. When butter melts, add cheese in 3 increments.
• Drain pasta; transfer to sauce. Stir until rigatoni are evenly coated with sauce. Serve sprinkled with the remaining basil and a dusting of grated cheese.

CHEF JOHN'S SALISBURY STEAK

Steps:

• Combine beef, black pepper, dry mustard, ketchup, Worcestershire, soy sauce, egg, cayenne, and bread crumbs in a mixing bowl. Use a fork or your hands to stir the ingredients until very evenly distributed.
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours, or up to overnight.
• While the meat is resting, melt 2 tablespoons butter in a large nonstick pan over high heat; add mushrooms, onions, and a pinch of salt. Saute, stirring occasionally, until very nicely browned, 5 to 8 minutes. Reduce heat to medium and add flour. Cook and stir for 3 minutes.
• Stir in ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, and beef broth; increase heat to high. Bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until the gravy thickens slightly and reduces, about 10 minutes. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Transfer to a glass measuring cup, scraping the pan clean with a spatula, and reserve.
• Remove meat from the refrigerator and divide into 4 equal portions. Moisten hands and form into oval patties, about 1/2 inch thick. Season both sides of the patties lightly with salt.
• Melt 2 tablespoons butter in the previously used nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add the patties and cook until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Pour in gravy and bring to a simmer; reduce heat to medium and continue to cook until gravy is piping hot, and the meat is just cooked through and springs back lightly when touched, about 5 minutes.