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Tartar Sauce
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Tartar Sauce

Prep Time 15 minutes
Resting Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 1 cup

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cups mayonnaise
  • 4 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
  • 1 Shallot (enough for 3 tablespoons minced)
  • 2 tablespoon capers
  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
  • ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 lemon
  • flat-leaf parsley or dill, (enough for 2 tablespoons finely chopped)
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Instructions

Mis en Place

  • Add 3/4 cup mayonnaise to a medium bowl
  • Add 4 tablespoons sweet pickle relish.
  • Mince 3 tablespoons of shallots and add to the bowl.
  • Rinse, drain, and chop 2 tablespoons of capers and add to the bowl.
  • Add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard.
  • Add ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce.
  • Add 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed juice from 1 lemon. (see note)
  • Finely chop 2 tablespoons of flat leaf parsley and add to the bowl
  • Add 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • Grind 3/4 teaspoon of black pepper into the bowl

Preparation

  • Whisk together all ingredients.
  • At this point, the tartar sauce is ready to be used; but the flavors will continue to combine together if it is refrigerated for 30 minutes or more before serving.

Notes

  1. A whole lemon will yield a lot more juice than the recipe calls for.  Because of this, I slice the lemon into wedges, squeeze only as much as is needed, and use the remaining wedges as a garnish for something else.
  2. This recipe is what I would refer to as a "baseline recipe" that can be easily altered by substituting or adding ingredients.
    • I've only ever made this with store-bought mayo, but it would probably taste even better with home-made mayo or aioli.
    • an equivalent amount of minced dill pickles can be substituted for the relish.
    • minced onions or chives can be used in place of the shallot.
    • capers are a common ingredient, but minced briney olives can be used instead.
    • lemon juice is another common ingredient, but an equivalent amount of white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or rice wine vinegar can be subsititued to provide a different acidity.
    • substituting dill or tarragon for the parsley will take the flavor in a different direction.
    • The recipe can be made sweeter by adding sugar.  Stir in a teaspoon, taste, and repeat as necessary to get it to where you want it.
    • The recipe can be made spicier by adding hot sauce.  Try 1/4 teaspoon.