Olive Oil Drizzle

A superfast sauce you can use on nearly everything: simply cooked vegetables, grains, beans, meat, fish, poultry, even toasted bread. You can substitute wine, beer, sake, stock, or juice for the lemon juice and water, and you might try cooking spices or dried chiles, single spices, or seasoning blends along with the onion or other aromatics in Step 1. Or omit the parsley and finish the sauce with a pinch of stronger herbs like rosemary, thyme, or oregano.

¼ cup olive oil

1 tablespoon minced onion, garlic, ginger, shallot, scallion, or lemongrass

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice or mild vinegar, like balsamic or rice vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, cilantro, or mint leaves

1 Put the oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the onion, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until it softens, just a minute or two. Turn the heat down if it starts to color.

2 Stir in 2 tablespoons water and the lemon juice; maintain the heat so it bubbles gently for a few seconds but doesn’t boil away. Taste, adjust the seasoning, and serve.

Sesame Oil Drizzle: For Asian flavors, replace the olive oil with 2 tablespoons each dark sesame oil and peanut oil; substitute scallions instead of the onions, and soy sauce for the lemon juice. If you like, add a small dried hot chile to the scallions as they cook. Use cilantro for the finishing herb.