Ever heard of Salsa Golf? This is an Argentine sauce that strikes the perfect balance between creamy and savory. While it’s not as well known as chimichurri, it’s still very popular in Argentina, especially to accompany Argentine asado. Curious about how it tastes? Here you have the details to prepare your batch at home.
The beginnings of Salsa Golf are wrapped in food stories, with different ideas about where it came from. Most stories claim it was invented by Argentine golfers who wanted a tasty sauce for their meals while playing golf. They supposedly mixed two common ingredients, mayonnaise and ketchup, to make a sauce that went well with many foods, especially burgers.
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 clove garlic, minced
Start by combining the mayonnaise and ketchup in a mixing bowl. Use a whisk or spatula to thoroughly mix both ingredients until the mixture is smooth and uniform in color.
Taste the mixture as you go and adjust the ratio of mayonnaise to ketchup according to your preference for creaminess or tanginess. For a creamier sauce, add more mayonnaise, and for a tangier sauce, add more ketchup.
And if you prefer sweeter flavors, consider using sweetened ketchup or adding a touch of honey or sugar to make your Salsa Golf even tastier!
Squeeze in the fresh lemon juice to give the sauce a bright and citrusy flavor. Avoid using bottled lemon juice, as it may lack freshness. A piece of advice: start with a small amount of lemon juice and gradually increase to taste, as it can easily overpower the other ingredients.
Pour in the Worcestershire sauce and the Dijon Mustard, which helps emulsify the ingredients and create a smooth and creamy texture. Opt for quality Worcestershire sauce and Dijon mustard for the best taste. Cheaper varieties may lack depth and complexity, ruining your Salsa Golf.
Finely mince a clove of garlic and add it to the sauce. Alternatively, you can use a garlic press for convenience. And if you’re not a fan of the sharpness of raw garlic, you can briefly sauté it in a small amount of olive oil before adding it to the Salsa Golf. Refrigerate the sauce for at least 30 minutes, or preferably longer, to allow your Salsa Golf to meld together.
Salsa Golf is a versatile sauce that pairs deliciously with a variety of foods, adding a flavorful twist to traditional dishes like Argentine asado or seafood. Here is a list of some popular Argentine foods that complement Salsa Golf exceptionally well:
You can also experiment with additional ingredients to customize the taste of your Salsa Golf, such as adding a dash of hot sauce for extra heat or a sprinkle of paprika for a smoky undertone. And hey, if by some miracle you don’t finish the whole batch, just stash any leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
So, the next time you find yourself in Argentina, be sure to keep an eye out for these sauces and explore the diverse flavors that this iconic condiment has to offer. Or maybe you’d like to experiment at home and expand your Argentine Asado repertoire with this Salsa Golf recipe. Enjoy!