Brown sauce

It is a familiar addition to a bacon or sausage sandwich, a cooked breakfast, sausage rolls and pasties. A little can also sharpen a cheese sandwich or a savoury pie.

Yes. Stir a spoonful into gravy, a stew or a pan sauce near the end of cooking, or brush it over sausages during the last few minutes of roasting so its sugars do not burn.

Simmer chopped tomatoes, apple, onion, vinegar, a little brown sugar and warm spices until soft, then blend until smooth. Cook it gently until thick; cool it and keep it in a sealed jar in the fridge.

Commercial brown sauce is usually kept in a cool, dry cupboard, with the cap wiped clean and tightly closed. Follow the storage instructions on the bottle; homemade sauce should be refrigerated.

For a sandwich, try tomato ketchup with a little Worcestershire sauce or malt vinegar for a tangy, savoury flavour. For a cooked dish, a small dash of Worcestershire sauce can add savouriness, but it will not give the same fruity sweetness.

No. Brown sauce is a sharp, sweet-and-sour condiment, often made with tomato, vinegar, fruit and spices; gravy sauce is a savoury sauce usually thickened with flour or starch and served hot with meat or vegetables.

It is sweetened, so a generous squeeze can add up: 23 g per 100 g. Use a thin line in a sandwich or a spoonful in a dish if you want its tang without making the food too sweet.