Finding a new go-to sauce is like finding a misplaced twenty-dollar bill on the ground—both have the power to make you feel almost giddy.
But a new go-to sauce has the upper-hand, because while the cash will make your day better with an unexpected treat (lunch? flowers? cocktail?), the sauce has lasting power to improve many a meal ahead.
Drbabs’ Creole Remoulade Sauce is just such a sauce. Creole Remoulade is usually a mayonnaise-based sauce and while this one does use mayo, it gets a tangy kick from horseradish and mustard.
Drbabs continues to play with tradition by leaving ketchup out the equation (though we show it on the side in the image above)—and she invites you to do the same: Tweak the sauce to your tastes and desired heat level. And instead of chopped celery ribs, she wisely uses celery leaves, which lend their celery flavor to the sauce without disrupting its texture.
Since celery is in season now, you’re more likely to get heads with leafy greens still attached if you pick some up at the farmers market. But don’t despair if you have to resort to seemingly-leafless, plastic-bagged ones at the grocery store: There are almost certainly enough leaves hiding among the tender inner stalks for you to get the required two tablespoons.
| 2 | tablespoons minced celery leaves |
| 2 | tablespoons minced parsley |
| 1 | clove garlic, minced |
| 3 | scallions, white and light green parts, finely minced |
| 2 | tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice |
| 1 | teaspoon prepared horseradish |
| 1/2 | teaspoon Worcestershire sauce |
| 3 | to 10 drops Tabasco sauce (to taste) |
| 2 | tablespoons Creole mustard (i.e., Zatarain's, or you can use any coarse-grained mustard) |
| 1 | tablespoon mayonnaise |
| 1/4 | teaspoon kosher salt |
| 1/4 | teaspoon smoked paprika |
| 1 | pinch freshly ground black pepper to taste |
| 2 | tablespoons minced celery leaves |
| 2 | tablespoons minced parsley |
| 1 | clove garlic, minced |
| 3 | scallions, white and light green parts, finely minced |
| 2 | tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice |
| 1 | teaspoon prepared horseradish |
| 1/2 | teaspoon Worcestershire sauce |
| 3 | to 10 drops Tabasco sauce (to taste) |
| 2 | tablespoons Creole mustard (i.e., Zatarain's, or you can use any coarse-grained mustard) |
| 1 | tablespoon mayonnaise |
| 1/4 | teaspoon kosher salt |
| 1/4 | teaspoon smoked paprika |
| 1 | pinch freshly ground black pepper to taste |
I appreciate that the sauce only makes 1/2 cup: It’s a nice amount that’s easy to use up at one time without having leftovers. Though, be forewarned, that’s a double-edged sword—I made a second batch the very next day because there’s almost an endless number of uses for it: Pair it with all sorts of seafood, spread it on a sandwich in place of mayonnaise, or use it to amp up potato salad. It also works well as a dipping sauce for steamed artichoke leaves, french fries, fried pickles—or, if your garden looks anything like mine does right now, fried green tomatoes.
Know of a great recipe hiding in the Food52 archives that uses an overlooked kitchen scrap (anything from commonly discarded produce parts to stale bread to bones and more)? Tell me about it in the comments: I want to know how you're turning what would otherwise be trash into a dish to treasure!
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