Condiments add color to the buffet table.
A picnic or buffet without chilled plate condiments would mean a hot dog without relish, a hamburger without onions, and nachos without jalapeno peppers. Chilled condiments add the zing to plain foods and salad bars in terms of both color and flavor. They can be purchased in cans and jars; some are easy to prepare by hand in your home kitchen. Call them condiments, relish, or salsas -- just be sure to put them out on the table.
Pickle Relish
Pickle relish is a condiment made of finely chopped pickles, chilled before serving. It is readily available in grocery stores, but you can make your own by chopping a mixture of sweet and dill pickles. You can serve small whole pickles, like gherkins and cornichons. Pickles and pickle relish are delicious on hot dogs and in deviled eggs.
Onions
Onions are another favorite on the chilled condiment circuit. Like pickle relish, tiny pickled cocktail onions can be found on the shelves of most grocery stores. You can prepare onions as a condiment by finely dicing sweet white onions, cocktail onions, or red onions and stirring in a small amount of salt, pepper, and vinegar.
Pico de Gallo
Pico de gallo is a relish made of finely chopped and seasoned ingredients -- the simpler the better. Chopped roma tomatoes with lime juice and cilantro are an example of a pico de gallo chilled condiment.
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut is a Chinese, not a German, invention, widely consumed by Chinese laborers building the Great Wall. Sauerkraut is made of shredded cabbage fermented in rice wine. It is served as a condiment and is a key ingredient in a Reuben sandwich.
Pickled Vegetables
Cucumbers aren't the only vegetable that taste great when pickled. Beets, carrots, peppers and cauliflower all respond well to the pickling process. You can purchase pickled baby corn in cans and jars.
Salsas
Salsa cruda is uncooked salsa -- the Mexican word for "sauce." Salsa can include diced tomatoes, spices, and hot peppers, and may also include tropical fruits like mangoes and pineapples to sweeten the sauce and cut the heat. Uncooked refrigerated salsas should be eaten within five days once opened.
Ketchup
Ketchup is a chilled condiment made of tomatoes, sugar, spices, and vinegar. It is a popular addition to hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries, and hash browns.
Mustard
You can purchase one of the dozens of varieties of mustard available in grocery and gourmet stores, or you can make your own mustard. Grind mustard seeds with a mortar and pestle and add vinegar, water, and herbs to taste.
Tags: chilled condiment, available grocery, cans jars, cocktail onions, condiment made, finely chopped, grocery stores