Sauces 101
In Cooking class one of the first things we had to master was the basic "mother sauces", there are literally hundreds of variations of these sauces that are used to dress, compliment, and enhance the foods we serve. Go wild don’t let the basic recipes hold you back you can use your own tastes and imagination to bring a flair to and recipe.
Those basic sauces are the roux sauces, white sauce Béchamel, the light stock-based Velouté, the brown stock-based Espagnole; and a Tomato based sauce, Sauce Tomaté .
Then there are the emulsified acid/fat sauces, Hollandaise and Mayonnaise; and then there is oil and vinegar-based Vinaigrette which is not emulsified, you must shake to mix before each serving as the oil rises to the top (commercial vinaigrettes often put in an emulsifier).
Then we have Custards made by heating egg and milk to denature the ingredients thus coming together as a thicken product.
Roux Based Sauces
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| Roux (melted butter and stir in starch or flour) |
Béchamel, the classic white sauce, it is often referred to as a cream sauce because of its appearance and is probably used most frequently in all types of dishes. Made by stirring milk into a butter-flour roux, the thickness of the sauce depends on the proportion of flour (or starch) and butter to milk. The proportions for a thin sauce would be 1 tablespoon each of butter and flour per 1 cup of milk; a medium sauce would use 2 tablespoons each of butter and flour; a thick sauce, 3 tablespoons each. Classic Béchamel is flavoured with onion and nutmeg often a bay leaf and clove.
TIPS FOR SAUCE SUCCESS
Constantly stir roux-thickened sauces while cooking to prevent lumps. If you must leave the sauce for a few seconds, take the saucepan off the heat.
If a roux-thickened sauce develops a few lumps, beat them out with a whisk or emersion blender.
Gluten Free White Sauce (Béchamel sauce)
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| basic bechamel |
Ingredient Thin Medium Thicker
Milk 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup
(or cream)
Gf flour 1 tbls 2 tbls 3 tbls
(or cornstarch)
Butter 1 tbls 2 tbls 3 tbls
(or olive oil)
Salt &Pepper to taste
In a saucepan, scald milk over low heat (heat until small bubbles start to form around the edges of the pot. Set milk aside until needed.
Over medium low heat melt the butter in a pan, then stir in the flour continue to stir until fat is absorbed into flour. Gradually stir in warm milk, a little at a time, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add season to taste and simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 8-10 minutes. If a thinner sauce is required, add more milk. If the béchamel needs to be thicker, simmer the sauce longer. Please note that the sauce will get thicker when it cools so take it off the heat just a little before the thickness you desire
Low Fat Easy Method
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| quick low fat white sauce |
Ingredient Thin Medium thick Thicker sauce
Milk 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup
(or cream)
Gf flour 1 tbls 2 tbls 3 tbls
(or cornstarch)
Butter 1/2 tbls 1 tbls 1 1/2 tbls
(or olive oil)
Salt &Pepper to taste
In a jar with a tight fitting lid add room temperature or cold milk and cornstarch. Put on the lid tightly and over the sink shake vigorously.
In a saucepan on low pour the content of the jar and stir with a whisk. Turn the temperature up to medium and continue stirring sauce. When sauce starts to thicken stir in butter and seasoning; continue to stir until sauce reaches desired viscosity. Please note that the sauce will get thicker when it cools so take it off the heat just a little before the thickness you desire
Variations of the Basic White Sauce
Classic Béchamel Sauce
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| Clasic Bechamel |
Add 2 or 3 tablespoons of heavy cream to the finished sauce. Add slice of onion, bay leaf and 1 clove to the milk when heating; remove onion, bay leaf and clove before adding milk to flour and butter mixture. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg to finished sauce.
Velouté Sauce
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| velante sauce (light gravy) |
Velouté is a white stock-based white sauce. It can be made from chicken, veal or fish stock. Enrichments such as egg yolks or cream are sometimes also added.
Sauce Tomate
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| Sauce Tomate |
Sauce Tomate, is a Tomato based sauce, traditionally thickened with a roux. Tomatoes have a rich flavour, high liquid content, very soft flesh which breaks down easily, and the right composition to thicken into a sauce when they are cooked (without the need of thickeners like roux). All of these qualities make them ideal for simple and appealing sauces. The simplest tomato sauces consist just of chopped tomato flesh (with the skins and seeds optionally removed), cooked in a little olive oil and simmered until it loses its raw flavour, and seasoned with salt
Espangnole Sauce
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| Sauce Espangnole |
Espagnole, brown sauce or gravy is traditionally made of a rich meat stock in the place of milk, add a mirepoix of browned vegetables (most often a mixture of diced onion, carrots and celery), a nicely browned roux, herbs and sometimes tomato paste.
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| Sauce Mornay |
Add 1/2 cup grated cheese to 1 cup of hot white sauce; stir over low heat until cheese is melted. Season with a little mustard or gf Worcestershire sauce to taste.
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| Sauce Veloute |
Substitute chicken, beef, fish, or vegetable broth for the milk.
Allemande Sauce
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| Sauce Allemande |
velouté sauce, white sauce with 1egg yolks and 1/2 cup heavy cream to replace 1/2 the milk
Curry Sauce
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| Basic Curry Sauce |
basic whit sauce, stir in 1 teaspoon curry powder with the flour add 1/4 cup sauted onion and chilli flakes to taste.
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| Herb Sauce |
Add dry or freshly chopped herbs to 1 cup of hot white sauce. Cook for a minute or two longer to get more flavour from the herbs.
Mustard Sauce
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| Mustard Sauce |
Combine 1 teaspoon dry mustard to flour used in white sauce. This sauce is especially good with fish and chicken.
Starch based custard
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| Eggless Custard (starch based custard) |
Combine 1 tablespoon corn starch in place of flour and 1 tablespoon sugar to every cup milk for a sauce and 2 tablespoons cornstarch for every cup of milk for a pie filling or pudding and for moulded custard, 3 tablespoons cornstarch to every cup of milk.
Emulsified Sauces
Hollandaise and Mayonnaise are two main sauces that are made with an emulsion of egg yolks and fat. Hollandaise is made with butter, egg yolks and lemon juice, usually served warm. It is generally used to embellish vegetables, fish and egg dishes, such as Eggs Benedict. Mayonnaise is a thick, creamy dressing that's an emulsion of vegetable oil, egg yolks, lemon juice or vinegar and seasonings. It is widely used as a spread, a dressing and as a sauce. It's also used as the base for Tartar Sauce, Thousand Island Dressing, Aïoli, and Remoulade.
Basic Mayonnaise Recipe
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| Whole Egg Mayonnaise |
Yields 1 1/4 cup
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1 cup high quality vegetable oil
1 to 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
Place everything but the oil and lemon juice in the blender or processor container. Process 5 seconds in the blender; 15 seconds in the processor. With the motor running, add the oil, first in a drizzle, then in a thin, steady stream. When all the oil has been added, stop the motor and taste. Add lemon juice to your taste. If the sauce is too thick, thin with hot water or lemon juice. If too thin, process a little longer.
Basic Aioli
Basic Aioli
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| Aioli |
Yields 1 1/2 cups
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
11/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1 eggs
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 cup virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
11/2 teaspoon lemon juice
In a blender add garlic and eggs, process until smooth. Drizzle, half the oil very slowly into blender to emulsify your sauce and thicken. Once the first half of the oil is incorporated, add the water and the lemon juice, while blender is still processing. Then slowly add the rest of the oil in the same fashion as the first. The mixture will thicken as you continue to blend it. The mixture should be slightly thinner than commercial mayonnaise. If it becomes too thick you can add a bit more warm water, one teaspoon at a time.
Classic Thousand Island Dressing
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| Thousand Island Dressing |
Yields 1 3/4 cups
1cup mayonnaise
1/3 cup tomato ketchup
1/4 cup Sweet Pickle Relish
1 tbsp finely-chopped onion
1 hard-boiled egg, finely chopped
Combine the mayonnaise and tomato ketchup in a bowl. Add the pickle relish and whisk until smooth then beat in the onion and egg. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.
Classic Remoulade (tartar sauce)
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| Remoulade (tartar sauce) |
Yields 1 1/2 cups
1 cup mayonnaise
1 teaspoon capers, minced
2 tablespoon green onions; (minced)
1 dash hot pepper sauce
1/3 cup chilli sauce
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 1/2 tablespoon mustard
1 tablespoon catsup
salt and pepper; to taste
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix until a uniform color. Cover and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks. Serve with fish and seafood. Makes about 11/2 cups.
Custard Sauces
Egg Base Custard
The thickening of Custard occurs with the denaturing of egg and milk when heat is applied slowly, it can be made of from fresh or cultured milk or cream.
Custard Sauce is pourable, made in a bowl or double boiler, stirring over the steam from a pot of boiling water. It's also called soft custard or Crème Anglaise.
Custard for pudding can be made thicker with the use of more eggs and cooked as in Crème Anglais or baked in an oven, in a heatproof bowl or pot in a pan of water called a bain-marie (also known as a water bath)
Custard Sauce (Crème Anglaise) is yellow, pourable Custard often poured hot or cold over either sweet or savoury dishes.
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| Creme Anglaise (custard sauce) |
Custard Sauce is used in making Trifle, Egg Nog or ice cream. If you whip it during cooking, you get what the Italians call "zabaglione."
Thicker custard is used for non baked creamed pies, puddings and parfait
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| thicker custard |
Ingredient Thin Medium thick Thicker sauce
Milk 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup
(or cream)
egg 1 2 3
sugar 1 tbls 1 tbls 1 tbls
vanilla 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 tsp
(or other flavouring)
Bring water in the bottom of the double boiler to a simmer never boil.
In a sauce pan or metal bowl whisk egg, sugar and milk together. Place the mixture over the simmering water (do not let the water touch bottom of pot or bowl with mixture. Heat while stirring constantly until mixture starts to thicken. From 12 to 20 minutes, though, is when all the action will happen. By the end of 20 minutes, it should be ready. If you have a cooking thermometer, the temperature at this point will be 160°F Mind, though: if it reaches 180° F it will curdle
Custard Sauce is done when the sauce can coat a spoon. Never allow it to boil. The custard will thicken a bit more when refrigerated.
Note: More sugar can be added but it will increase the time for the custard to thicken. A brighter yellow can be obtained by substituting 2 egg yolks of each whole eggs called for, or a lower fat and white sauce may be obtained by using two egg whites for every egg called for. The custard made with yolks only is very rich and yellow, made with egg white makes a light tasting, white product.
Baked Custards
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| baked custard in water bathe |
Baked Custards can become Crème Brulée, Quiche; Pumpkin Pie is a flavoured Baked Custard.
Ingredient Thin Medium thick Thicker sauce
Milk 1 cup 1 cup 1 cup
(or cream)
egg 1 2 3
sugar 1 tbls 1 tbls 1 tbls
vanilla 1 tsp 1 tsp 1 tsp
(or other flavouring)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Adjust oven rack to center position. Lightly butter 2 custard cups and set them into a large baking dish. If cooking custards in a metal pan, cover the bottom of the pan with a tea towel or silicon sheet to ensure an even temperature on the bottom. Scald the milk (small bubbles will form on the edge of the pot when ready) over medium low heat, set aside.
In a large bowl, beat eggs slightly; add sugar, flavouring and beat until dissolved. Whisk in milk, a small amount at a time to the egg mixture to temper the egg so it does not curdle.
Heat water in kettle; carefully pour hot water into the baking pan to come half-way up the sides of the custard cups. The water should come up to the level of the custard inside the cups.
Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until set around the edges but still loose in the center. The cooking time will depend largely on the size of the custard cup you are using, but begin checking at 20 minutes and check back regularly. Baked Custards are done when they wobble, or when a knife poked near the centre comes out clean, with no milk adhering to it. They will actually cook a little bit more after you remove them from the oven. Remove from oven and immediately remove cups from water bath; cool to room temperature. Cover surface with plastic wrap or parchment paper cut to fit, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
Baked Custards come out quite firm; they can hold their shape when spooned out or turned out.
Notes:
To stop all Custard based dishes from developing a skin on top when allowed to sit, cover the surface with plastic wrap or parchment paper cut to size.
Whether Custard is baked in the oven or stirred on top the stove in a pot, the cooking must be slow so that the egg won't curdle. The curdling is caused by the protein in the egg and milk coagulating too much so that it separates from the liquid, so that it looks like curds and whey. Sometimes, if just a small amount of curdling has started in a Custard Sauce, you can save it by getting the custard off the heat and whisking it as though your life depended on it.
Cook egg-thickened sauces over low heat, or cook these sauces in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling, water. Always temper (warm) the egg yolks before adding them to the sauce by first stirring in a little of the hot sauce mixture into them. Then add to the remainder of the sauce mixture. Never let a sauce boil after the egg yolks are added as the sauce may curdle. If the sauce does curdle add a teaspoon of water and use and emersion blender until smooth
Don't let water boil in the bottom of the double boiler if you use it to make egg-thickened sauces. Also, be sure that the water doesn't touch the bottom of the pan holding the sauce. If you must leave the sauce for a few seconds, take the saucepan off the heat.
Custard should always be lump free.
Vinaigrettes
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| Vinaigrettes 3 parts oil 1 part acid |
Vinaigrette is a sauce made of a simple blend of oil, vinegar, salt and pepper (usually 3 parts oil to 1 part acid (citrus juice or vinegar). More elaborate variations can include any combination of spices, herbs, shallots, onions, mustard, etc. It is generally used to dress salad greens and other cold vegetable, meat or fish dishes.
Amount made 1/2 cup 1 cup 2 cups
Good quality oil 3 tblsp 3/4 cup 1 1/2 cup
Vinegar 1 tblsp 1/4 cup 1/2 cup
(or other acid)
salt 1 pinch 1/8 tsp 1/4 tsp
white pepper 1 pinch 1/8 tsp 1/4 tsp
Add all ingredients together and whisk. Seal and refrigerate up to 3 weeks.
Vinaigrette must be shaken or beaten before using as the oil and vinegar separate quickly.
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| always shake or whisk before each serving |
