Daring flavours from The Saucy Minx has diners purring

A three-strong range of 'free-from' original sauces has been launched by The Saucy Minx in Northern Ireland.

The small company, which is based in Portadown, county Armagh, has developed authentic sauces which are free from gluten, allergens, added sugars, additives and preservatives and are already on sale in Northern Ireland.

Sarah McKenzie set up The Saucy Minx in 2015 to "blend together the freshest herbs, spices and oils that deliver delicious flavours that stand out from other sauces". She hopes eventually to sell the sauces in Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

The sauces, which are also suitable for vegetarians, all feature her own recipes developed on the back of extensive experience as a chef and in management of fine dining restaurants and gastropubs in London and Northern Ireland. She's also been influenced by her travels to Europe and to the Canary Islands.

The artisan products are also the result of her most recent experience of running 'Street Dog's, a successful street food operation at shows and other public events across Northern Ireland.

The initial range of three sauces, available in 220g jars at £3.50, are: Mojo Rojo, which is made from red peppers, smoked paprika, garlic and oil; Mojo Verde from coriander, green peppers, garlic and olive oil; and Chimichurri, her version of the traditional Argentinian sauce that she produces from fresh coriander, parsley, chilli and garlic.

"All our sauces are very versatile and can be used as marinades, for pouring and dipping," she says. "I began developing my own recipes for sauces for the street food business which focused on different hotdogs including those made with chorizo and Polish Kielbasa sausage.

"The flavours were different and spicy, and people liked them. A friend suggested that the sauces could be used to develop a separate food business. This appealed to me because the street food business is seasonal and dependent on the weather.

"I set out to create a business based on the fresh produce in making the sauces primarily for delis, butchers and independent retailers. I've also attracted the attention of local chefs.

"I have a number of ideas for new products at the recipe stage and will continue my focus on using the freshest ingredients. It's an approach that is working increasingly as consumers are looking closely at ingredients for preservatives and sugar content," she adds.