Double Mint Sauces

These sauces are great served together with lamb chops. I prefer shoulder to rib chops; they're much less expensive and in my opinion more flavorful. (Actually, what I really wish is that I could find a good source for mutton!)

Peach Mint Sauce

1 Tbsp + 2 Tbsp butter
2 peaches, diced fine
1 slice of onion (not 1 sliced onion, just 1 slice of an onion), diced fine

1 Tbsp dark brown sugar

2 Tbsp cider vinegar
1 splash lemon juice
pinch kosher salt
1 handful fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
1/4 cup mirin
3/4 cup water
2 Tbsp flour

Simmer the peaches and onion in 1 Tbsp of butter in a small saucepan over low heat, 10 mins or until the peaches start to dissolve. Add brown sugar, rice vinegar, lemon juice, salt, and mint leaves; simmer another 10 minutes.

In another saucepan make a light brown roux with the flour and 2 Tbsp butter. Add mirin and water, stir until thickened; combine with peaches mixture. Add more water if desired to adjust thickness. Simmer over very low heat until the mint flavor permeates.

Spicy Yogurt Mint Sauce

1 cup plain yogurt
1 Tbsp honey
1 handful fresh mint leaves, chopped fine
pinch kosher salt
1 tsp chili powder
your favorite hot sauce to taste

Combine yogurt, honey, mint, salt, and chili powder in a bowl; let sit half an hour at room temperature for the flavors to blend. Add hot sauce to taste. Refrigerate until use.

Phuket BBQ sauce

Yeah, I know, it's not really pronounced that way. But phuket.

I felt like something spicy and aromatic, so I started with a basic recipe for Kansas City BBQ sauce and went nuts.

1 onion
1/2 bulb garlic
1 peach or other stone fruit, very ripe
2 T toasted sesame oil
2 T sweet paprika
1 T chili powder
crushed red pepper to taste
1/4 cup dark brown sugar
1 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
juice of half a lemon plus water to make 1/4 cup
1 T green curry paste
1/2 t grated fresh nutmeg or cinnamon
kosher salt

Dice the onion finely and saute with a pinch of kosher salt in the sesame oil over medium heat until the onion is well-caramelized. Separate the garlic cloves, mash and mince and add to the onion along with the brown sugar, paprika, chili powder, and crushed red pepper. Saute, stirring, for a minute or two until you can smell the garlic.

Reduce heat and add ketchup, vinegar, lemon juice and water, and curry paste. Dice the peach finely and add it along with the grated nutmeg or cinnamon. Simmer covered for at least half an hour, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat and allow to cool, and then you can puree with a stick blender if desired. I like the chunky bits.

I've got a pan of chicken legs in the oven right now, liberally doused.