Sauce Chien – Authentic Recipe and Description

Sauce chien is a hallmark Creole specialty of French Caribbean cuisine, especially from Guadeloupe and Martinique. It is traditionally served alongside grilled meats and fish. Despite its name (“chien” means “dog” in French), the sauce has nothing to do with animals — it is named after the “Couteau Chien”, a popular French-made kitchen knife (with a stainless steel blade and a colorful plastic handle) widely used in Antillean households.

Traditional Ingredients

Recipes may vary slightly from one household or region to another, but the foundational ingredients are:

• 3 stalks of cive (also called “z’oignon pays” or “oignon-pays” — Allium fistulosum, similar to scallions or Welsh onion)

• 2 garlic cloves

• 1 small bunch of flat-leaf Caribbean parsley

• 1 small Caribbean chili pepper (a mild "vegetarian pepper" for aroma, or a hot chili depending on heat preference)

• 1 sprig of local thyme (or regular fresh thyme if unavailable)

• 1 lime (or 1½ tablespoons of cane vinegar or white vinegar)

• 4 tablespoons of boiling water

• 2 to 3 tablespoons of neutral oil (such as sunflower or peanut oil)

• Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Preparation

1. Prepare the herbs:

• Wash the cive, parsley, and chili.

• Finely chop the cive and parsley.

• Mince or crush the chili (remove the seeds for less heat).

• Peel and grate or crush the garlic.

2. Assemble the base:

• Combine the chopped cive, parsley, garlic, chili, and thyme leaves in a bowl.

• Add salt (about 1/3 teaspoon) and pepper to taste.

3. Hot infusion:

• Pour the boiling water directly over the herb mixture — this helps to release the aromas without cooking the herbs.

• Stir and let sit for 2 to 3 minutes.

4. Final seasoning:

• Add the lime juice (or vinegar).

• Stir in the oil and mix well.

5. Resting:

• Let the sauce sit at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before serving, to allow the flavors to meld.

Tips

• Never blend sauce chien. It must be made by hand, traditionally using a Couteau Chien.

• If the sauce is too spicy, you can mellow it by adding a bit more oil or a splash of warm water.

• It can be stored in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days, but it’s best served fresh.

Sources

Reference cookbooks:

• La cuisine créole – Babette de Rozières

• Les meilleures recettes antillaises – Éditions Orphie

Specialized websites:

• ti-moun.com

• antilles-resto.com

• Blog: Tatie Maryse

Oral tradition:

• Recipe passed down through generations in Caribbean families, with regional variations (different chilies, shallots, etc.).

Culinary heritage efforts:

• Initiatives related to the preservation of French and Caribbean culinary heritage (DOM-TOM regions).