Remoulade Sauce

This is a variation of an Emeral Lagasse recipe for the spicy sauce. You can vary it based on the type of mustard you use. I use all Dijon but the original calls for Creole mustard and yellow mustard in equal amounts.

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
  
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
  
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped celery leaves
  
• 2 tablespoons chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
• 6 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoons ketchup
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Add all the ingredients except the oil to a blender and blend until smooth. With the blender running slowly add the vegetable oil to form an emulsion. Store in the refrigerator and serve with fried or cold seafood.

Double-Strength Vanilla Extract

12 vanilla beans
1 bottle (750 ml) vodka

Pour off one ounce of vodka and reserve. Split the vanilla beans lengthwise to expose the seeds, and place the split beans in the bottle of vodka. If space allows, add back all or part of the reserved one ounce of vodka. (You may also just pour the entire bottle into a 1-qt glass jar with a tight-fitting lid if you prefer.)

Seal tightly and shake. Store in a cool, dark cupboard for at least 2 months to age. 4 – 6 months will be even better.

During aging, give the bottle a good shake once a week to agitate the vanilla seeds and release more essence.

Use as you would any commercial vanilla extract after aging. Give the bottle a shake each time you use some extract to suspend the seeds evenly. (If you are using the extract in a white preparation where you do not want the flecks of vanilla to be visible, do not shake the bottle and strain the vanilla extract through a coffee filter before use.)