Homemade Condiments...

As I've mentioned before, we are a family of dippers - I'll admit sometimes french fries really just seem like an excuse to have ketchup and don't even get me started on my husband and son's obsession with ranch dressing. So I knew this would be a tricky part of this Whole30 challenge. Alas, I'm not the only one who enjoys these things and thus recipes for compliant ketchup, cocktail sauce, ranch dressing, mayo, aiolis of all shapes and sizes are readily available. For burger night we whipped up some homemade ketchup and my father-in-law's infamous garlic aioli - which happily was already compliant! 

First up - Ketchup. I used a recipe from "The Clothes Make the Girl" - see here. I had to use dates as I didn't have figs on hand, and since I didn't have ground cloves I used pumpkin pie spice instead - next time I think I'll go for less of the cinnamon/nutmeg/clove flavor and maybe do more of the mustard and perhaps ginger. Still, it was pretty good. 

Next we tackled Poppy's Garlic Aioli. So good, pretty easy to make, and oh my I can still taste the garlic, but that's ok. 

Here's the recipe:

• 2 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 cup olive oil
• 1 egg yoke
• 1/2 lemon 
• 8-9 garlic cloves (yup, told ya it was garlicky!) 
• salt & pepper to taste
• 1 tbsp cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients, minus the oil, in a blender until combined. Then very very slowly dribble in the oil until it is all combined. Tip - make sure your ingredients are all at room temperature - especially the egg. 

I read a tip on one site that for these sauces/condiments with raw egg to just look at the expiration date on the egg carton and use that as your guide for when you should finish or toss your sauce. I don't see ours making it to the expiration date. :) 

Next on the to-do list - Ranch Dressing!