Those that know me and know how I cook, know that I'm a nut on doing things from scratch and/or by hand. Is it because I'm a glutton for punishment? No! It's so I know EXACTLY what's in what I eat. The sad fact is that there are many things hidden in the ingredients list of "manufactured" food-like products. Since I simply don't want to put such things into myself or my family, I've turned to making everything we eat. Besides, it's a kick to make things from scratch...well it is for me!
I found this recipe on a UseNet News Group. I've changed a few things in it in an effort to tweak it up for the taste that I want out of it. My next project? A version of "White" Worcestershire Sauce. Anybody have a recipe they wanna share?
Making your own Worcestershire Sauce is pretty easy. But without the preservatives and other adulterants in it, you must keep it refrigerated. While this recipe does contain a lot of ingredients, it's still pretty simple and easy.
Yield: about 6 cups (or a near "life-time" supply of this interesting condiment)
Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat and sauté the chopped sweet onion until soft (about 6-8 minutes).
Turn the heat down to medium-low, add the garlic, ginger, jalapenos, and tamarind paste. When the mixture resumes bubbling, continue to cook for another 5-minutes or so.
Add anchovies, tomato paste, cloves, pepper, corn syrup, molasses, white vinegar, dark beer, orange juice, water, lemon, and lime. Stir to combine and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 3 hours until thickened enough to the back of a spoon.
Strain Worcestershire sauce into a glass bottle and refrigerate.
** Tamarind is the secret ingredient that sets Worcestershire sauce apart from most other sauces. Tamarind is the fruit of the Tamarindus indica, or Indian date in Arabic. The fruit pods resemble a brown pea pod that contains a thick, sticky pulp which has a consistency of dates and a spicy date-apricot flavor. Often referred to as tamarind seed in recipes, it is really only the pulp surrounding the seed that is used.
The Tamarind fruits popularity for millennia has been based upon the fact that it contains more sugar than any other desert fruit. This sugar is balanced by a higher than typical level of acid for a fruit. This imparts that unique sweet/sour taste that's at the heart of this wonderful fruit. It can be eaten raw or cooked. It is also often available in dried slices, concentrate, paste, balls, and solid block forms.
Although nothing like the flavor of tamarind, lemon juice is a suggested substitution in a pinch, but know you will not have an authentic flavor without tamarind. Tamarind is an ingredient in seasonings, curries, chutneys, various drinks, and of course, Worcestershire sauce.