No sauce please, we're Spanish

Since the accent is resolutely on the quality of the raw materials, it is not unreasonable that sauces are not, nor ever have, been a significant feature of Spanish cuisine

ANDREW J. LINN

Saturday, 19 June 2021, 15:55

There are two types of sauces: those made in the kitchen and those made in the factory. Chinese cooking relies heavily on manufactured sauces, and the black bean varieties can transform any dish to another plane. From Romania's banal crushed garlic cloves with salt and water to Haitian mamba peanut butter, many will radically improve a snack or a main course.

The potency of Malaysia's Sambal can be tempered by adding vegetables, and Ghana's Shito goes well with fermented fish and fried meat. Oprah Winfrey loves a black truffle-infused sauce that can make a poached egg appear like a Michelin-style breakfast, and American GIs invented banana ketchup in the Philippines during the Second World War. Bland grilled mushrooms can be brought to life with Yemen's Zhoug, a concoction of green chili, garlic, and coriander.

Every country has its favourite sauces, and even Mexico's clichéd taco sauces have their uses. So, what about Spain? Ask a Spaniard for their preferred sauce and you probably get a blank look or a muttered 'catsup' (for tomato ketchup).

It has to be admitted that Spain does not shine in the sauce stakes. Alioli is basically mayonnaise with garlic, Romesco and Mojo Rojo are restricted regionally, and Salsa Brava only makes potatoes spicy. The best fish sauces are Catalan and Basque; sweet Pedro Ximénez sauce has limited appeal. Northern Europeans may find Spanish cuisine boring compared with French, but since the accent is resolutely on the quality of the raw materials, it is not unreasonable that sauces are not, nor ever have, been a significant feature of Spanish cuisine.

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