Three Basic Syrup Recipes

Do you find yourself making the same boring meals day after day? With the help of these three basic syrups, you can add concentrated flavor to everything from cocktails to luscious sauces for your favorite meat or fish.

Mushroom Syrup
Active: 10 Min: Total: 35 Min
Makes about 1/2 Cup

4 tablespoons grapeseed oil
14 ounces shiitake stems(from 2 pounds shiitake mushrooms), chopped
3 cups water
3 cups low-sodium chicken broth

In a large skillet, heat the oil until shimmering. Add the shiitake stems and cook over moderate heat, stirring a few times until deeply browned, 5 minutes. Add the water and broth and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil until reduced to 1 cup, about 12 minutes. Strain the broth and return it to the saucepan. Boil over high heat until reduced to 1/4 cup, 7 minutes.
Serve with Fish, steak, chicken, veal.

Ginger-Lime Syrup
Active: 25 Min: Total: 40 Min
Makes 1 Cup

4 ounces fresh ginger, peeled and thinly sliced (1 cup)
1 cup fresh lime juice
1 cup sugar

In a small saucepan, combine the ginger, lime juice and sugar and bring to a boil. Boil for 2 minutes. Let cool to warm, then puree in a blender. Pour the puree into a fine strainer and press on the ginger to extract as much syrup as possible.
Serve with Drinks, seafood, chicken

Lemon-Thyme Syrup
Active: 10 Min: Total: 2 Hr 10 Min
Makes about 2 1/4 Cups

1 1/2 cups water
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
3/4 ounce lemon thyme sprigs
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice

In a medium saucepan, combine the water and sugar and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Add the thyme, cover and let stand for at least 2 hours or overnight. Add the lemon juice and strain the syrup.
Serve with Drinks, dressings, sorbet