Chef's Notes
Make brochettes by skewering peppers, mushrooms, tofu or tempeh, and pineapple, grill and brush with this marinade for a a great summer dish. Or, add Mexican spices and fold into sautéed, minced mushrooms for a delicious taco filling.
Starting the Sauce
First, prepare your mise en place.
To start the sauce, bring a small sauce pot to medium–high heat and add the onion. When the onions begin to stick, add the garlic, cumin, chile powder and onion powder. Stir well until the spices are lightly toasted.
Next, add the vegetable stock and tomatoes. Bring to a simmer and cook for 4 to 5 minutes
Step 1: Starting the Sauce
- 1 red onion, diced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 1 tbsp chile powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp onion powder
- 1/2 cup vegetable stock
- 2 cups tomatoes, diced (sweeter preferred)
Step 2: Finishing the Sauce
- 1/2 cup tomato paste
- 1/2 cup date paste
- 1 1/2 tbsp grain mustard
- 3 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp liquid smoke (optional)
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp hot sauce of choice (optional)
- 1/2 tsp sea salt (optional)
To finish the sauce, add the tomato paste, date paste, mustard, vinegar, liquid smoke and pepper. Stir very well and reduce the heat to low. Cook gently with the lid on for an another 7 to 8 minutes on low heat. Add hot sauce and sea salt to taste.
Using a stick blender, blend mixture in pot until optimum consistency. Season with sea salt to taste. *Note—Alternatively, you can use a countertop blender.
If not serving immediately, cool and store in a sealed container in the refrigerator.
Use to glaze tofu, tempeh or your choice of vegetables.