Ingredients:

  • 170 g unsalted butter (3/4 cup)
  • 24 g garlic (8 cloves), finely minced
  • 120 ml low-sodium chicken broth (1/2 cup)
  • 60 ml fresh lemon juice (about 2 lemons, 1/4 cup)
  • 12 g light brown sugar (1 tablespoon)
  • 13 g Old Bay seasoning (2 tablespoons)
  • 2 g sweet paprika (1 teaspoon)
  • 3 g Cajun seasoning (1 teaspoon)
  • 1 g garlic powder (1/2 teaspoon)
  • 0.5 g cayenne pepper (1/4 teaspoon), or more to taste
  • 2 green onions (scallions), thinly sliced
  • 1.5 g kosher salt (1/4 teaspoon), to taste

Instructions:

  1. Mince the garlic finely or push it through a press. Juice the lemons and measure the broth. In a small bowl, stir together the Old Bay, paprika, Cajun seasoning, garlic powder, and cayenne. Keep the brown sugar nearby.
  2. Melt the butter in a 3-quart saucepan over medium-low heat, about 3 to 4 minutes, until fully liquid and the foam on top starts to subside.
  3. Add the garlic and stir constantly for 60 to 90 seconds, until it smells sweet and fragrant and turns pale golden. If it begins to darken, remove the pan from the heat right away.
  4. Whisk in the spice blend and the brown sugar. Cook for about 30 seconds, until the spices smell toasty and the mixture looks slightly deeper in color.
  5. Pour in the broth and lemon juice, whisking as you go. Bring to a gentle simmer, with small bubbles breaking the surface, and cook for about 5 minutes, until reduced by about a quarter and it lightly coats the back of a spoon.
  6. Taste the sauce. Add kosher salt only if needed. Add a few drops of lemon if it tastes flat, or a pinch more cayenne for more heat.
  7. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in most of the green onions, pour the sauce into a heatproof serving bowl, and garnish with the remaining green onions.