A genius trick to try: Ice Cube Sauces & Butters

Get your ice-cube trays out. I guarantee your future self will thank you for having a freezer stocked with cubes of different sauces, butters and dressings ready to jazz up the simplest of midweek meals – turning them from a basic bit of meat, fish, veg or salad into a tongue-tantalising experience. Freeze them in ice-cube trays, then pop out (I reckon about 1-2 per person for sauces and 1 per person for butters) and store in labelled resealable freezer bags. Leave the cubes to defrost at room temperature while you get on with the other elements of your meal, then top with your choice of butter, or mix through the sauce or dressing. 

Honey and mustard

SERVES 8

5-10 MINUTES PREP

Honey and mustard are undeniable partners. This gives you that winning combination of sweet, sharp, sour and salt in an easy-to-use ice cube. Great as a sauce for sausages and mash, or roast chicken, and as a dressing for a simple salad of green leaves, walnuts, avocado and sugar snap peas.

4 tbsp dijon mustard

4 tbsp runny honey

4 garlic cloves, grated or crushed

4 tbsp olive oil

4 tbsp white wine vinegar

• Mix together all the ingredients until well combined, either by whisking in a bowl or shaking together in a jar with a tight-fitting lid. Season to taste. 

Jerk Marinade

SERVES 8-12

10 MINUTES PREP

Rub over meat fish or veg before cooking or add to sauces or stews.

4 tsp allspice berries, toasted

6 cinnamon sticks, broken into shards and toasted

1 tsp coriander seeds, toasted

2 tsp fresh thyme leaves

4 spring onions, roughly chopped

½ – 1 scotch bonnet pepper, deseeded if you want less heat

3 garlic cloves

1 tsp grated nutmeg

3 tbsp demerara sugar

juice of 1 lime

½ tsp soy sauce

2 tsp oil

• Put all the ingredients into a food processor and blitz until you have a smoothish paste. Season to taste.  

Buffalo Butter

SERVES 8-12

5 MINUTES PREP

Melt on to grilled or fried chicken (decadent, I know!) or serve with crudités and crumbled blue cheese.

250g unsalted butter, at

room temperature

2 garlic cloves, crushed

2 tbsp white wine or cider vinegar

10 tbsp sour hot sauce (such as Frank’s Red Hot Sauce)

large pinch of sea salt

large pinch of cracked black pepper 

• Beat the butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.
• Add the remaining ingredients then mix together until they are well combined. 

Tomato Basil Butter

SERVES 8-12

5 MINUTES PREP

Use instead of oil or plain butter to pan-fry fish fillets, melt on to grilled meats, warm breads, cooked warm vegetables or try mixed into loaded potato skins.

250g unsalted butter, at room temperature

2 tbsp finely chopped

sundried tomatoes

20 basil leaves, finely shredded

large pinch of sea salt

large pinch of cracked black pepper

• Beat the butter in a bowl with a wooden spoon until light and fluffy.
• Add the remaining ingredients then mix together until they are well combined.