The Fond - A Mediterranean Black Olive Cream Pan Sauce
Having a great pan sauce recipe in your kitchen repertoire is one of the easiest shortcuts to professional-level cooking at home. It is a foundational culinary technique that bridges the gap between a simple weeknight dinner and an entertainment worthy meal.
A pan sauce is a quick, flavorful sauce made in the same pan used to sear a meat, poultry, fish or vegetables using the leftover browned bits and juices left behind. This is the foundation (the fond) of the sauce. The rich, caramelized juices, drippings, and browned bits left on the bottom of the pan after searing are ingredients on their own. The fond is finished by deglazing the fond with a liquid (wine, stock, broth, or vinegar) added to the hot pan using a wooden spoon to scrape and stir them right into the liquid. In Italy this would most likely be a local wine or vinegar. Regional variations include minced garlic, olive oil and sometimes anchovies added to the pan drippings to dissolve them. In France the concentrated liquid is thickened with a knob of cold butter cream, mustard, or herbs to create a variety of sauces. In Italy it is called a sughetto, a casalinga (homestyle ) term for a quick, light sauce or "little sauce" made out of whatever was just cooked in the pan.
Pan sauces are simple, rustic, non-fussy yet they have the capability of creating layers of flavor that elevate even the most basic weeknight meal into something special. The following recipe for a Mediterranean Black Olive Cream Pan Sauce does this very well with stove to table ease. Nothing is overly complicated. Just a handful of good ingredients, a little time in the kitchen, and recipes that feel elegant, and approachable all at once. Ready in minutes for your family table or dinner party that makes your guests wonder at what Italian cooking school have your been studying.
The flavor of this pan sauce is maximized by one of our favoriate ingredients from CosituttiMarketPlace,
La Favorita Black Olive Creme. In Italy spreads are called "creams" even though they contain no dairy products yet their spreadability makes them a versatile ingredient in sauces and and a perfect addition to any charcuterie board. Because this Italian spread is built simply on black olives, olive oil, and sea salt, it melts beautifully into a hot skillet to create an instant, velvety pan sauce that pairs well with seared chicken breasts, pork chops, or tossed directly into a pan of pasta.
A Mediterranean Black Olive Cream Pan Sauce
Ingredients
1–2 tbsp butter, or extra virgin olive oil (leftover in the pan after searing your protein)
1 small shallot, finely minced
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
⅓ cup dry white wine (like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc) to deglaze
½ cup heavy cream
2–3 tbsp La Favorita Black Olive Spread
½ tsp fresh lemon zest (plus a small squeeze of fresh juice to balance the richness)
1 tbsp fresh Italian parsley or chives, finely chopped
Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Note: Salt has not been included as an ingredient in this recipe as the olive spread and pan drippings have a natural saltiness.
Method
After searing your meat of choice, leave about 1 to 2 tablespoons of the rendered fats and browned bits (fond) in the pan over medium heat. Add the minced shallot and cook for 2 minutes until translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds until highly fragrant, being careful to not let the garlic burn.
Pour in the white wine, using a wooden spoon to scrape up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Let the wine simmer and reduce by about half (around 2 to 3 minutes). Turn the heat down to medium-low. Pour in the heavy cream and bring the liquid to a very gentle simmer. Do not let it boil rapidly, or the cream may split.
Slowly whisk in the La Favorita Black Olive Spread until it is thoroughly mixed into the cream as the sauce takes on a rich, smoky color. Simmer gently for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce slightly thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Stir in the fresh lemon zest, a short squeeze of lemon juice, and a generous pinch of freshly cracked black pepper. Stir in the fresh herbs.
Return your seared meat back into the pan to coat it entirely with the sauce, or toss your hot, al dente pasta directly into the pan to let it absorb the flavors. Serves 2 to 3. Because the flavor is deep and concentrated, a little goes a long way when coating your meat or tossing with pasta.
Pasta Cenere
Using this recipe is the ultimate shortcut for making Italian Pasta alla Cenere, an Italian creamy pasta dish made with black olives. It gets its name (“ash pasta” in Italian) because the black olives give the sauce a speckled, grayish appearance that resembles ashes (cenere). Just mix in a dollop or two of Gorgonzola Dolce, a mild and creamy variation of the recognizable Gorgonzola into the final stage of the sauce. The addition of the creamy Gorgonzola will create a rich, luxurious sauce that clings perfectly to tagliatelle or fusilloni pasta.
Comments