Gordon Ramsay Amps Up His Tartar Sauce With One Rich Ingredient

Nothing strikes fear into the hearts of contestants on Gordon Ramsay's cooking shows like recreating the dishes he's known for, including fish and chips paired with a creamy, elevated tartar sauce. It's a meal so synonymous with the celebrity chef, there's even a chain of restaurants in the Ramsay empire devoted to that English classic. A ramekin of tartar sauce is standard issue with a basket of fried halibut or cod, whether you're ordering it from a high-end seafood restaurant or a beachside shack. But Ramsay, as in all his recipes, takes the mayo-based condiment to the next level by adding just one component — crème fraîche.

At its most basic, tartar sauce is made up of mayonnaise (which provides a fatty richness), finely chopped dill pickle (for tang), Dijon mustard (refreshes the palate), and a squeeze of lemon (for an essential acidic zing). Just avoid adding too much citrus, which can make the final product unpleasantly runny. Some recipes also call for shallots or capers and a shower of fresh herbs (anything from parsley to dill to tarragon). The Ramsay version is surprisingly quite simple: Diced pickles, mayo, minced shallot, lemon juice and approximately three tablespoons of crème fraîche.

French for "fresh cream," crème fraîche is a soured cream, however, it is not sour cream. The two are related, though. Crème fraîche is naturally fermented with buttermilk, whose bacteria impart a slightly tangy flavor. On top of the bite it adds to the tartar sauce, the resulting condiment is thicker since crème fraîche has a fat content of around 30%. If you can't track it down at your local grocery store, making crème fraîche at home is actually easier than you likely imagined. All that's needed is cultured buttermilk, heavy whipping cream, citric acid and cheesecloth (which can be purchased at any homebrew shop if you're coming up short at the supermarket). And if you end up making more crème fraîche than what's needed for the tartar sauce, use the excess in soups and sauces, as a thickening agent, or as a dessert topping. 

Chef Gordon Ramsay has one more trick up his sleeve when it comes to making a standout tartar sauce. While his online directions say that hot sauce is optional, you know you've got to add at least a few dashes to get the full Gordon experience. The brand he prefers isn't specified, but we can recommend Texas Pete, whose medium simmer works perfectly with creamy seafood-oriented dishes, including clam chowder. You could even experiment with other spicy ingredients like adobo sauce, paprika, and red pepper flakes.