Roger always takes his lunch to the job, along with a snack
or two to keep his energy level high.
Sometimes there’s a remnant of our dinner the night before that makes a
good lunch, but most of the time he has a sandwich. One of the things I do to
make his sandwiches more enjoyable, and to decrease the amount of mayonnaise that he otherwise would slather on both pieces of
bread, is to create special mustards.
I admit to being “frugal”, so I start with inexpensive store
brand mustards and modify them. Once you start customizing mustards, you’ll see
how easy it is to create your own versions, and how limitless the creative possibilities are. These
mustards also make a perfect base for quick, easy and delicious salad dressings and sauces.
Here are some of Roger’s favorites. For all but one of them, no cooking is required. I add salt and pepper to taste.
Sundried Tomato Mustard
1 plastic bottle Dijon mustard
½ cup sundried tomatoes (drain and rinse if packed in oil)
½ tsp red pepper flakes, or more to taste
1 tsp dried minced onions
¼ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp Italian herbs
Combine all the
ingredients and refrigerate in a container with a tight lid. For variety I sometimes
add chopped fresh parsley, roasted red Bell pepper and/or grated Italian cheese.
Caramelized Onion Mustard (cooking required)
1 plastic bottle whole grain mustard
2 onions, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced fine
1 tbsp butter
1 pinch sugar
1 tsp fresh thyme
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute the chopped
onions, garlic and thyme in the butter over very low heat, adding the pinch of
sugar to help them brown, along with the salt and pepper. Once the onions are
caramelized, blend in a food processor or a blender. Refrigerate in a container with a tight lid.
Pear Mustard
1 plastic bottle of spicy brown mustard
½ cup pear preserves
2 tbsp ginger preserves
1 plastic bottle of Dijon mustard
cup of seedless raspberry jam
1 tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Cranberry Mustard
1 plastic bottle of Dijon mustard
½ cup dried cranberries
1
tsp red pepper flakes (optional)
Southwest Mustard
1 plastic bottle of spicy brown mustard
Taco seasoning and/or very well-drained salsa to taste
Asian Mustard
1 plastic bottle of Dijon mustard
¼ cup hoisin sauce or plum sauce
½ tsp soy sauce
½ tsp sesame oil
You could also create delicious versions with apple butter, roasted Bell peppers, pumpkin puree, crushed pineapple, etc. If you have a flavor inspiration, please share!