It may look like a sad little package shoved in the back of your freezer, but frozen spinach actually has a lot of culinary uses (and some may surprise you).

The first thing you might think of when you hear "mesquite" is smoke, and this sauce definitely delivers the smoky flavor. It brings way more than just that one element to the table, though, with orange zest and serranos providing an intriguing sweet and spicy balance.

4 cups no salt added tomato puree
1 1/2 cup chopped onion
2 tablespoons chopped fresh ginger
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 serrano peppers, seeded and cut into strips
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
3/4 teaspoon liquid smoke flavoring
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Combine the tomato puree, onion, ginger, garlic, orange zest, and serrano chiles in a non-reactive saucepan over low heat. Bring to a simmer and let cook until reduced to 2 cups, about 1 1/2 hours.
Let the mixture cool then transfer to a blender or food processor (in batches if needed) and puree until smooth. If a smoother sauce is desired, press the sauce through a fine mesh sieve.
Return the mixture to the saucepan. Add the honey, lemon juice, soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, vinegar, liquid smoke, and black pepper. Bring to a simmer over low heat and let cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Store the sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.
It may look like a sad little package shoved in the back of your freezer, but frozen spinach actually has a lot of culinary uses (and some may surprise you).
Pizza night is always a favorite, especially when you have great tasting pizza from some of the most popular restaurants.
This iconic whiskey is a "Jack of all trades" when it comes to cooking. Toss it in some pasta, as a savory dipping sauce, and even bake it into something sweet.

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reviews & comments
December 29, 2013
Good. I cut down the lemon juice a little (didn't see why it needed so much) and only used one serrano pepper and I only had about a tablespoons worth of fresh ginger.