It's All In The Sauce

Isn't it always? When you think about it, the "sauce" is often where it's at with a lot of dishes. Thanksgiving without gravy? Sunday pasta without the marinara? Fries without ketchup? No. What makes a good sauce? It can be loose, thick, full of flavor, or have a subtle hint of what you need to push a dish over the edge. Personally, I get lost in the sauce every single chance I get. What's better than a messy plate that makes you want to lick it afterwards... in public?! 

Thinking about my love of all things saucy, the other day I was craving something flavorful, velvety, and comforting. My mind immediately went to something that would pair well with chicken and pasta, a couple of my other great loves. I wanted something warm that would completely satisfy. I hadn't had the best day and good food always makes everything better, right? I reallllly didn't want to go to the store so to the fridge I went. I saw lemons, shallots, and parsley, good enough for me! I scrounged up a couple more ingredients and dinner was under way.

What you'll need:

-2 shallots, thinly sliced
-2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
-1/3 cup Italian parsley, chopped
-1/4 cup heavy cream
-1 1/2 cups bone broth
-1 lemon, zested and juiced
-1 Tbs all purpose flour
-2 Tb olive oil
-2 Tbs butter, divided
-Salt and pepper for seasoning

1. In a skillet on medium high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of butter with the olive oil.
2. Into the butter and oil, toss in the sliced shallots and chopped garlic- cook for 5-7 minutes until they are soft, but not crisp. Season with salt and pepper.
3. When the shallots and garlic is at the desired doneness, melt the other tablespoon of butter in with the ingredients. When this is melted, mix in one tablespoon of flour. Cook this for about a minute to get that raw flour taste out, no one likes that! (This is the magical step to make the sauce thicken and tighten up.)
4. When the flour has cooked, slowly pour in the bone broth while whisking the whole time. It should gradually begin to thicken. Bring this to a slow boil while whisking, should only take a couple minutes.
5. When the sauce is thick and pretty, pour in the lemon juice and throw in the zest, stir to combine.
6. Now for some true magic- pour in the heavy cream and stir to combine. (I do it slowly because food porn is a thing.)
7. Keep stirring, bring to another slow boil, and you're done! Finish off with the parsley and salt and pepper to taste.

**The special ingredient that makes the sauce is the bone broth. it's thicker and more flavorful than broth or stock, but you can easily substitute if you don't have access to bone broth.

If you're making this with chicken like I did, feel free to nestle the cooked chicken right in the sauce to give it a little bath before you plate. Get that flavor wherever you can! Like I said before, I served over chicken and pasta, but this would be a great sauce for any meat, I'd even throw it over steak! Mix up the carb too: potatoes, rice, whatever you'd like. Since it's January and you're thinking of staying away from carbs like a responsible adult, unlike me, some roasted broccoli or brussel sprouts sound like a couple of killer side dishes.

I'm just glad I was home and alone when I made this because I definitely had a moment with my plate after. Don't judge me. I think it's safe to say that this will be a sauce I'll go back to time and time again. It's so simple and packs a punch to whatever you're eating! This sauce is so thick and velvety (like me, obviously) that it'll work it's magic on anything is comes across, I promise. 

Meaghan