Old Sour

[tinastrong]

Old Sour

OLD SOUR

This is a versatile condiment that originated in the Florida Keys. I grew up with it, and am growing old with it. It is splendid with seafood, cooked or raw. Use it in place of vinegar or citrus juice in salad dressings; or add it to mayonnaise or butter-emulsion sauces. I like to bottle it in old Grolsch beer bottles that I buy at garage sales.

For every two cups freshly squeezed Key lime (or Mexican dwarf lime) juice, you will need one heaping tablespoon sea salt, or kosher salt.

Squeeze juice from limes. Line a funnel with a double thickness of cheesecloth, and strain juice into a clean bottle. Add sea salt, and shake the bottle well. Tie a square of cotton cloth (such as old bedsheet scrap) over the top of the bottle. Let the sauce age in a dark, cool cupboard for at least two weeks, or as long as eight weeks. When desired, strain again through double thickness of cheesecloth and return to bottle. Aged Old Sour should have an acid-salty flavor,with a slight bite on the tongue.

Cork the bottle, and the sauce will keep indefinitely. There is no need to refrigerate this sauce, and it gets better with age. Some people add a dash or two of Tabasco sauce to each bottle. It's a matter of personal preference.

Keywords: Condiment, Easy, Fruit, American

( RG1641 )