Louisiana Remoulade Sauce

Remoulade is a savory sauce of French origin that is smooth, thick, and plain delicious. Usually served alongside crab or salmon cakes, it's actually excellent for all sorts of preparations, from fried vegetables to sandwiches. Our Southern take on the mayonnaise-based sauce makes a tangy and mouth-watering preparation thanks to the addition of capers, cornichons, grainy mustard, and a little paprika. The total amount of work is just 8 minutes. Everything goes into a food processor, though a blender or immersion blender works fine. Or mix it by hand, mincing the cornichons, capers, and onions first, and then adding the rest of the ingredients. Serve this sauce with crispy seafood cakes, fried shrimp, calamari, or fish sticks, or spread it on po' boys, burgers, or hot dogs. There is no wrong way of eating this versatile preparation.

The influence of French cuisine in Creole culinary traditions produced locally adapted versions of classic French dishes, and remoulade is just one of the. Some Louisiana remoulades are pink—from the addition of tomato paste, paprika, or ketchup—some others are spicy, some are oil-based, and some are mayonnaise-based. But mustard is the ingredient that is usually present in all versions and provides the sauce its characteristically pungent flavor. And it's because of this vibrant flavor that this sauce is the perfect accompaniment to heavy fried foods. Try it with fried zucchini or eggplant and use it on fries, fried soft-shell crabs, breaded artichokes, or green fried tomatoes. Our version of this sauce is dairy-free and vegetarian, but for a vegan-friendly approach, simply replace the egg-based mayonnaise with vegan mayonnaise.

Louisiana versions of remoulade are varied. They might contain green onions, celery, hard-cooked eggs, garlic, or horseradish. If you're keen on horseradish, add about one teaspoon along with the mustard and lemon juice. But as is, our remoulade is bold in flavor and has the perfect texture, both for dipping and spreading. Ideally, remoulade should have several hours in the refrigerator to develop the best flavor, but it's delicious right away, too. If you can prepare it ahead of time, leave it overnight in the refrigerator for best results. This sauce can be kept in an airtight container for up to 5 days, and can be made into a light dressing when thinned out with olive oil and drizzled on fresh greens.