Dinner Construction

Team,

This post is regarding dinner construction.  A typical dinner might be a 300g steak, 250g sweet potato and some cooked tender-stem broccoli.  However it doesn't quite end there... I love having some sort of sauce or dip with it for extra flavour.  Something that seems to go with everything is mayo and I'm looking for an alternative, because just reading the label it's so calorie dense (it can be almost as calorific as the rest of the meal put together) and looks to be based on poor oils so its quality looks low.  Equally I might have some bbq sauce but this is loaded with sugar etc.

What are some good store available better alternatives as sauces/accompaniments - I'm not looking for pseudo/replacement mayo's, I'm just looking for something that makes meals less dry sometimes.  I'm open to all ideas... e.g. is Creme Fraiche better?

You just made me realize I don't really use condiments haha. I guess I get all my taste from seasoning. If my food is dry I add a glass of water to dinner.

Well what can I say... it goes with every and any meal!

Any views on anything that might give a creamier (not necessarily diary) or thicker experience?

If you want to use sauces the best way is to prepare them yourself with patience and good ingredients - that's enough for me to give up on them. Pepper, herbs, good olive oil, butter may help in some cases. Another idea is to have side vegetables which contributes to the effect you want, for example mash potato for creaminess.

Anyway, not a good cook here, I am sure others will come up with better advice!

Greek yoghurt makes a great base for a lot of dips/sauces. We do one with toasted cumin, lightly crushed into greek yoghurt and a bit of salt and pepper. Lime, coriander and black pepper also go well into greek yoghurt. Tzatziki - greek yoghurt and garlic with grated cucumber is good but better with some lime coriander and black pepper.

Mayo is good too but have to be a bit careful here on choice as so many have heaps of sugar added.

I also find using some home made pickled onions or Jalapenos can take some of the dryness away.

herb butter too is good for the steak.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/grilled-rib-eye-steak-with-brown-butter-and-blue-cheese.html

Sour cream is also much lighter than mayo and is 1) delicious on its own and 2) can be used as a base for a lot dips/sauces.

But I'm going to get real for a second and say that if your steak, sweet potato, and broccoli are "dry" then you're cooking them wrong.  

How do you cook steak? And to what level of doneness? I wouldn't go past medium rare, personally, and that keeps a steak tender and juicy. Bake a sweet potato at a higher temp and it will be wonderfully moist and sweet. I can eat that as-is, but a little butter does wonders. Same with steamed broccoli. 

You might also consider cooking methods that are naturally wetter--pot roast, soups, stews, etc. 

Julia,

Great response thanks.  I exaggerate for effect - I like a dip etc for the different texture it provides and the cooling contrast to say a hot and juicy steak.  I've been forever married to mayo etc and really it might only take up a small proportion of the plate but calorie wise it adds loads for very little nutritional value.  I'm looking at my plate differently and challenging the things on it!

My sweet potato and steak are talk of the town don't worry, I've almost cracked the perfect temp and time to cook sushi as well... 

Cheers again

Stu

@Stuart McFarlane my favourite steak accompaniments:

1. Italian style: after grilling your steak baste it with a good amount of olive oil and rest it. Season with some good sea salt and when you're plating it pour back over the resting juices containing mostly that delicious olive oil and serve with a wedge of lemon. Sounds odd but very tasty. If you want to bash some hard herbs into that oil before basting the steak that's awesome too: think garlic, rosemary, thyme etc.
2. fry some butter after grilling and baste steak with that. Whack a dollop of Dijon mustard on the side to have with each bit.

Hey Kelby,

Thanks for that, I've been experimenting a lot, I will try it.

@Julia Quigley that sour cream has changed my life.  Plus someone somewhere else recommended greek yoghurt with morning smoked salmon... oh my it goes perfectly together.  Completely cut mayo out now and it makes a huge difference in terms of the quality and type and quantity of fats etc I am taking in, was totally disproportionate in my intake on a daily basis.

Cheers team