Correct a sour sauce by adding sweet and creamy ingredients.
A sour sauce produces unwanted flavors on the palate - bitter, tart and even a bad aftertaste often result from an unsuccessful sauce. To combat the sour taste in sauce consider adding a milk-based ingredient to mellow the strong flavors, or counteract it with a pinch or two of sugar. Often tomato- and mustard-based sauces will have a sour taste due to the acidic content of their ingredients. Balance out a sour sauce by stirring in additional ingredients to make your sauce taste better.
Instructions
Creamy Tomato Sauce
1. Pour one 28-ounce can of crushed tomatoes in a large sauce pan. Add 3 tbsp. of tomato paste. Stir together over low heat, and cover.
2. Mince three cloves of garlic, one small onion, one carrot, and one celery stalk with a sharp knife on a cutting board. Pour 2 tbsp. of olive oil in a saute pan and add the vegetables. Cook them over medium-low heat until they are tender, which will take about 10 minutes.
3. Scrape the vegetables into the tomato sauce. Add 2 tsp. each of dried rosemary, basil and oregano. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Mix together to combine.
4. Pour in 1 cup of heavy cream slowly into the sauce. Stir constantly while adding the cream. Cover and allow the sauce to reduce and thicken for 15 minutes on low heat. Stir occasionally.
5. Measure 2 tsp. of sugar and add it to the sauce. Stir and then taste. Add more sugar, 1 tsp. at a time according to preference. Allow the sauce to cook for several minutes more to absorb the sugar.
Sweet and Sour Mustard Sauce
6. Use the tart taste of mustard and vinegar to make an equal contrast with the sweetness of sugar in a sweet-and-sour mustard sauce. Beat together two large eggs with 2 cups of heavy cream in a bowl.
7. Fill the base of a double boiler with 2 inches of water. Place over medium-high heat until the water starts to boil.
8. Add 1/2 cup of sugar with 2 tbsp. of flour and 4 tsp. of dry mustard into the double boiler. Slowly pour the milk and egg mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring constantly. Once the ingredients have been combined, turn the heat to low.
9. Whisk constantly while adding 1/2 cup of white-wine vinegar. Cover and allow the sauce to thick for three to five minutes. Remove from heat and allow the sauce to cool for several minutes before serving.
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