A well rounded glaze is the perfect way to add more flavor to your dish and a tasty digestive aid to your tummy, especially around the holiday season. I'm fond of this glaze for many reasons: the multicultural ingredients, the flavor [of course], the ease in preparation and its versatility in presentation. It's really got it all going on! From the West Indian to the east and all the way over to the Pacific Rim, this glaze is influenced by many cultures.

Here's what you'll need to pull it off:

Equipment
Stove
2 qt sauce pan with cover
1 wooden spatula, spoon or whisk
Small skillet
1 5"x5" square of cheesecloth
1 immersion blender

Ingredients
3 tbsp coconut oil
1 large brown onion [chopped]
1/4 cup dried cranberries
3 tbsp tomato paste
1/3 cup tamarind paste
1/3 cup palm sugar
1 tsp fresh ground ginger paste
1 cup balsamic vinegar
2 cups frozen pineapple concentrate
1 tsp whole allspice
1 tbsp fennel seed
5 green cardamom pods
2 tsp Genovese basil
2 tsp fresh mint

Directions
Step 1. Heat your sauce pan and add your oil, onion and salt. Saute until onion is translucent and incorporate your dried cranberries.
Step 2. Add your tomato, tamarind & ginger pastes, palm sugar, balsamic vinegar, and pineapple concentrate. Stir and let simmer.
Step 3 Place your allspice, fennel and cardamom in skillet and toast until they become aromatic and place them in cheesecloth. Tie cheesecloth in a secure bundle and gently crush the contents of the bundle to release more flavor. Drop into your saucepan and let simmer in liquid.
Step 4. Add basil and mint and continue simmering until glaze reduces by 1/4 volume.
Step 5. Remove spice bundle, plug in your immersion blender and blend glaze until it's smooth and even in color. Taste and make any necessary adjustments and you're good to go!

Bon Apetit!

When you're working with sauces, glazes and the like, you can add whole new dimensions of complementary flavors to your already phenomenal dishes. They store well, look beautiful and add just the right finishing touches to your culinary endeavors.

This particular glaze will go well with your holiday savory dishes like your roasts, poultry dishes [meatloaves [vegetarian or non-], Thanksgiving Turkey, chicken, lamb, stuffing, ham, etc.]. The sweet and tart contrasts will heighten your savory meals while cutting through the richness of your more fatty meals. And as with any recipe, it's versatile and forgiving enough to give you the leeway you may need to substitute one ingredient for another.
Try it out. Play around with it. See what works for your palate or your clients' and have at it!

As always, it's my pleasure sharing my recipes with you. Until next time...