Tartar sauce in the UK, New Zealand and Australia. Tartare sauce is a
mayonnaise-based sauce, typically of a rough consistency. It is often used as a
condiment with seafood dishes.
It is based on mayonnaise, egg yolk, mustard or vinegar, oil with some extra
ingredients. In the UK recipes typically add to the base capers, gherkins, lemon
juice, and tarragon. US recipes may include chopped pickles or prepared green
sweet relish, capers, onions (or chives), and fresh parsley. Chopped hard-boiled
eggs or olives are sometimes added, as may be Dijon mustard. Paul Bocuse
describes sauce tartare explicitly as a sauce remoulade, in which the
characterising anchovy pur�e is to be substituted by some hot Dijon mustard.
The sauce and its name have been found in cookbooks since the 19th century. The
name derives from the French sauce tartare, named after the Tatars (Ancient
spelling in French of the ethnic group: Tartare) from the Eurasian Steppe, who
once occupied Ukraine and parts of Russia. Beyond this, the etymology is
unclear.
An idea of what people in the nineteenth century meant by naming something
"tartar" can be found in a recipe of Isabella Beeton in "The Book of Household
Management" of 1861, recipe no. 481, "Tartar mustard", made of horseradish
vinegar, cayenne and ordinary mustard. In her recipe no. 503, "Remoulade, or
French Salad-Dressing", she describes a preparation with tarragon that can
hardly be identified with a Remoulade as standardized by Auguste Escoffier forty
years later or as it is considered today. But she explains that the tarragon for
her recipe of "Green Remoulade" comes originally from Tartary. In the days of
Tsarism, the Russian properties in Asia south of Siberia were frequently called
Tartary, especially when an exotic undertone was intended. Sauce Tartare might
be a descriptive term for a tarragon mayonnaise named after the origin of the
so-called Russian tarragon, which actually is rarely used for culinary purposes.
In 1903 Auguste Escoffier gave a recipe for Sauce Remoulade with both mustard
and anchovy essence, but he used only the term Sauce Tartare for it in the rest
of the book. This is still common use in Austria and former Austrian regions
like Bohemia, where Sauce Remoulade and Sauce Tartare are synonyms on restaurant
menus. The German dictionary "Langenscheidt, Maxi-W�rterbuch Englisch, 120.000
Phrases of 2002" identifies Tartar(e) Sauce as Remouladensosse.
In the early era of the Haute Cuisine from about 1890 to the outbreak of World
War I in 1914 minced filet of beef was dressed with Sauce Tartare and served raw
as Boeuf Tartare or steak tartare with regard to the sauce's name. Between the
World Wars, until today, it came into fashion to serve the dish with regard to
the raw unprocessed meat just with the unprocessed ingredients of the sauce.
In fact, the Tatars have nothing to do with the sauce or raw beef steaks.
Especially in the Haute Cuisine era, dish names were frequently selected from
contemporary, fashionable, public issues to gain attention. Tartar Sauce is high
in sodium, added sugar and calories per two tbsp.
Nutrition Facts about Tartar Sauce
Serving Size 1 Serving (100 g)
Per Serving % Daily Value*
Calories 150
Calories from Fat 144
Total Fat 16g 25%
Saturated Fat 2.5g 13%
Cholesterol 15mg 5%
Sodium 460mg 19%
Carbohydrates 1g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Sugars 1g
Protein 0g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 0%
Iron 0%
Health concerns of Tartar
Cream of tartar has an extremely high potassium content � 495 mg per teaspoon.
Our daily requirement for potassium is 3500 mg. This poses a risk for people
with kidney disease or folks that take medication that decreases the ability of
their kidneys to excrete potassium. Keep in mind however that cream of tartar is
usually used in tiny amounts.
Laxative effect: A non-issue for most people due to the tiny amounts used
in food. You�ll be more likely to experience laxative effects from a stick of
gum sweetened with sugar alcohol, or eating an energy bar pumped with inulin for
extra fiber.
Tart, yet creamy, tartar sauce is a traditional accompaniment to fish dishes,
but it packs a hefty 400 calories and 44 grams of fat per 1/4 cup serving. Look
for commercial low-fat tartar sauce, or make your own. Better yet, skip the
traditional mayonnaise tartar sauce altogether and use healthy, flavorful
substitutes.
Low-Fat Tartar Sauce Substitute: Healthy Alternatives to Tartar Sauce
Yogurt in bowl with leaf and greens.
Blend 1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt and 1/2 cup nonfat cottage cheese in a blender
until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 tablespoon minced red onion, 1
tablespoon sweet or dill pickle relish and 1 tablespoon minced, fresh parsley.
This non-fat alternative has only 35 calories per 1/4 cup serving and zero grams
fat. It also boasts 5 grams protein.
Marinades
Marinated tuna on a grill.
Marinate fish before cooking to add flavor and color, and you won't even miss
the tartar sauce. Combine vinegar, lime juice or soy sauce with a bit of olive
oil, and add seasonings, such as garlic, chile peppers, parsley, marjoram or
chives. Marinate the fish for at least two hours before cooking to soak up the
flavors of the marinade.
Salsas and Chutneys
Grill fresh fish with herbs, sea salt and a splash of olive oil. Serve it with a
fresh salsa made from your choice of tomatoes, chiles, black beans, corn,
mangoes or even pineapple.
For a sweet-sour taste, try chutneys, such as green tomato chutney or mango
chutney.
Splash of Flavor
Serve grilled or fried fish with lemon wedges for a simple splash of flavor.
Take a cue from the English and serve battered fish with potato wedges and a bit
of malt vinegar for a slightly bitter, refreshing taste.
According to Drugs.com, cream of tartar, or potassium acid tartrate, is a
diuretic and a laxative. Cream of tartar is a powdery substance that has a very
long and stable shelf life. It is made from the acidic sediments that accumulate
on the sides of wine caskets. The acidic quality of cream of tartar is used in
the cooking industry to lend a creamy texture to sugary foods such as icing,
meringue, bread, cookies and candy. It is also used to reduce brown
discoloration of vegetables. Physicians used cream of tartar as a medicine in
the 19th and early 20th Centuries; however, recent interest in cream of tartar
has emerged in the alternative medicine community.
A major health risk for use of cream of tartar is its high potassium content.
According to the Earthclinic.com, 1 tsp. cream of tartar contains 5 g, or 5000
mg of potassium. The Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of
Sciences recommends a potassium intake of 2,000 mg per day for men and women
aged 18 and over; therefore, the potassium content of 1 tsp. cream of tarter
greatly exceeds the daily requirement.
This poses a risk for people with kidney disease, congestive heart failure and
those who are taking medications that decrease the ability of the kidneys to
excrete potassium. Earthclinic.com also asserts that most healthy adults can
consume up to 18 g of potassium without ill effects. People who take
potassium-sparing diuretics such as aldactone and dyazide, beta-blocker drugs
such as propranolol and lopressor, and ACE inhibitor medications such as vasotec
and lisinopril, can develop high serum potassium levels, or hyperkalemia, while
taking cream of tartar.
According to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library, hyperkalemia occurs when
serum potassium is greater than 5.5 mEq/L. Symptoms of hyperkalemia include
muscle weakness, flaccid paralysis, and potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmia.
Always consult your doctor before taking cream of tartar.
Women Fitness recommends that one should not eat excess of tartar sauce but have
a regulated amount just for taste and be extra cautious about its side effects
and the health concerns.
Nutrition Facts about Tartar Sauce
Marinate fish before cooking to add flavor and color, and you won't even miss
the tartar sauce. Combine vinegar, lime juice or soy sauce with a bit of olive
oil, and add seasonings, such as garlic, chile peppers, parsley, marjoram or
chives. Marinate the fish for at least two hours before cooking to soak up the
flavors of the marinade.