Cooking Sauces

Cooking sauces are the essence of gourmet cooking. All the great chefs are known first and foremost for their wonderful sauces. And the great thing is, anyone, even me (and you), can easily create a great sauce.

Yes, I said, "create". Beyond all the wonderful recipes below, and others available all over the web and in so many cook books, once one gets the hang of what's going on with cooking sauces, she can start to fiddle with them and create her own, improved versions. There is no limit to the possibilities!

Cooking sauces are comprised of a liquid, plus thickening agents, plus seasonings. A good cook will need to be able to do the following:

1. Make good stocks.
2. Use thickening agents properly to achieve the desired texture, flavor, and appearance.
3. Use seasonings properly.

Classic sauces are divided into two groups: mother or leading, and small or compound. The five mother sauces are Bechamel, Veloute, Espagnole (brown), Tomato and Hollandaise. Except for hollandaise, these are rarely served as is; more often they are used to create the many small cooking sauces.

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The Bechamel Family

Bechamel (bay-shah-mell) is the easiest "mother sauce" to prepare. It is made by thickening scalded milk with a white roux and adding seasonings. It is rich and creamy with absolutely no hint of graininess. It should be the color of heavy cream and have a deep luster. It should be thick enough to coat foods lightly.

Bechamel Recipe

*Milk, 1/2 gal.

*Flour, 4 oz.

*Clarified butter, 4 fl. oz.

*Salt and white pepper, TT

*Nutmeg, TT

Yield: 1/2 gal.

Small Bechamel Cooking Sauces

Cream Sauce - Add to bechamel 4-6 oz. of scalded cream and a few drops of lemon juice.

Cheese - Add to bechamel 4 oz. grated Cheddar or American cheese, a dash of Worcestershire sauce and 1/2 tablespoon of dry mustard.

Mornay - Add to bechamel 2 oz. grated Gruyere and 1/2 oz. grated Parmesan. Thin with scalded cream. Remove the sauce from heat and swirl in 1 oz. whole butter.

Nantua - Add to bechamel 2 fluid oz. heavy cream and 3 oz. crayfish butter. Add paprika to achieve the desired color.

Soubise - Sweat 1/2 pound diced onion in 1 ounce whole butter without browning. Add bechamel and simmer until the onion are cooked and then strain.

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The Veloute Family

Veloute (veh-loo-TAY) cooking sauces are made by thickening a white stock or fish stock with roux. A veloute sauce made from veal or chicken stock is usually used to make one of two sauces, allemande and supreme. Allemande sauce is made by adding lemon juice and a liaison to a veal or chicken veloute. Supreme sauce is made by adding cream to a chicken veloute. A properly made veloute should be rich, smooth and lump-free.

Veloute Recipe

*Clarified Butter, 4 fl. oz.

*Flour, 4 oz.

*Chicken, veal, 2 1/2 qts. or fish stock

*Salt and white pepper, TT

1. Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan. Add the flour and cook to make a blond roux.
2. Gradually add the stock to the roux stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil and simmer.
3. Simmer and reduce to 1/2 gallon, approximately 30 minutes.
4. Strain through a china cap lined with cheesecloth.
5. Melted butter may be ladled over the surface of the sauce to prevent a skin from forming. Hold or cool in a water bath.

Yield: 1/2 gal.

Small Fish Veloute Cooking Sauces

Bercy - Saute 1 oz. of finely diced shallots in butter. Add 4 oz. of dry white wine and 4 oz. fish stock. Reduce the mixture and add the fish veloute.

Cardinal - Add 4 oz. fish stock to 2 cups fish veloute. Reduce the mixture by half and add 1/2 pint heavy cream and a dash of cayenne pepper. Bring to a boil and swirl in 1 oz. lobster butter.

Normandy - Add 2 oz. mushroom trimmings and 2 oz. fish stock to 2 cups fish veloute. Reduce by one third and finish with an egg yolk and cream liaison. Strain through a fine chinois.

Espagnole (Brown Sauce)

Espagnole is made from a brown stock to which brown roux, mirepoix and tomato puree have been added.

Espagnole Recipe

*Mirepoix, med. dice, 1 lb.

*Clarified butter, 4 fl. oz.

*Flour, 4 oz.

*Brown stock, 2 1/2 qts.

*Tomato puree, 4 oz.

*Sachet (ingredients tied in a cheesecloth bag):

• Bay Leaf, 1
• Dried thyme, 1/4 tsp.
• Peppercorns,crushed, 1/8 tsp.
• Parsley stems, 4
• Salt and pepper, TT

Yield: 1/2 gal.

1. Saute the mirepoix in butter.
2. Add the flour and cook to make a brown roux.
3. Add the brown stock and tomato puree. Stir to break up lumps. Bring to boil then reduce to simmer.
4. Add the sachet.
5. Simmer for 1 hour so the sauce can reduce. Skim the surface as needed.
6. Strain the sauce through a china cap.

Demi-Glace

Espagnole sauce can be made into demi-glace, which is used to make the small cooking sauces of the espagnole family. Demi-glace is half brown sauce, half brown stock, reduced by half. A properly made demi-glace is rich, smooth and lump-free. It should be thick enough to cling to foods.

Demi-Glace Recipe

*Brown Stock 2 cups

*Brown Sauce 2 cups

1. Combine the stock and sauce in a saucepan over medium heat.
2. Simmer until the mixture is reduced by half.
3. Strain and cool in a water bath.

Yield: 1/2 gal.

Jus Lie

Jus lie is used like a demi-glace but is lighter and easier to use. It is made in one of two ways:

1. A rich brown stock is thickened with cornstarch or arrowroot and seasoned.
2. A rich brown stock is simmered and reduced so that it thickens naturally.

A properly made jus lie is very rich and smooth. It is not as thick as demi-glace, but should still cling to foods.

Small Brown Cooking Sauces

Bordelaise - Combine 1 cup dry red wine, 1 oz. chopped shallots, 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme and a pinch of black pepper in a saucepan. Reduce by 3/4, then add demi-glace and simmer for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine chinois. Finish with 1 oz. whole butter.

Chasseur - Saute 2 oz. sliced mushrooms and 1/2 tablespoon diced shallots in whole butter. Add 4 fl. oz. white wine and reduce by 3/4. Then add demi-glace and 3 oz. diced tomatoes: simmer for 5 minutes. Do not strain.

Chateaubriand - Combine 1 cup dry white wine and 1 oz. diced shallots. Reduce the mixture by 2/3. Add demi-glace and reduce by half. Season to taste with lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Do not strain. Swirl in 2 oz. whole butter to finish.

Chevreuil - Prepare a poivrade cooking sauce, but add 3 oz. bacon or game trimmings to the mirepoix. Finish with 2 fl. oz. red wine and a dash of cayenne pepper.

Madeira or Port - Bring demi-glace to a boil, reduce slightly. Then add 2 fl. oz. madeira wine or ruby port.

Marchand De Vin - Reduce 4 fl. oz. dry red wine and 1 oz. diced shallots by 2/3. Then add demi-glace, simmer and strain.

Mushroom - Blanch 4 oz. of mushroom caps in 8 fluid oz. boiling water seasoned with salt and lemon juice. Drain the mushrooms, saving the liquid. Reduce this liquid to 2 tablespoons and add it to the demi-glace. Just before serving, stir in 1 oz. whole butter and the mushroom caps.

Periqueux - Add finely diced truffles to Madeira sauce. Perigourdine sauce is the same, except that the truffles are cut into thick slices.

Piquant - Combine 1/2 oz. shallots, 2 oz. white wine and 2 oz. white wine vinegar. Reduce the mixture by two-thirds. Then add demi-glace and simmer for 10 minutes. Add 1 oz. diced cornichons, 1/2 tablespoon fresh tarragon, 1/2 tablespoon fresh parsley and 1/2 tablespoon fresh chervil. Do not strain.

Poivrade - Sweat 6 oz. mirepoix in 2 tablespoons oil. Add 1 bay leaf, 1 sprig thyme and 4 parsley stems. Then add 1/2 pint vinegar and 2 oz. white wine. Reduce by half, add demi-glace and simmer for 40 minutes. Then add 10 crushed peppercorns and simmer for 5 more minutes. Strain through a fine chinois and finish with up to 1 oz. whole butter.

Robert - Saute 4 oz. chopped onion in 1 oz. whole butter. Add 4 oz. dry white wine and reduce by two-thirds. Add demi-glace and simmer for 10 minutes. Strain and then add 1 teaspoon prepared Dijon mustard and 1/2 tablespoon granulated sugar.

The Tomato Sauce Family

Classic tomato sauce is made from tomatoes, vegetables, seasonings, and white stock and thickened with a blond or brown roux. A gastrique is caramelized sugar deglazed with vinegar. It is sometimes used to flavor tomato cooking sauces and to reduce the acidity in them. Tomato sauce texture should be grainier than other cooking sauces but still smooth.

Tomato Sauce Recipe

*Salt pork, small dice, 2 oz.

*Mirepoix, 12 oz.

*Tomato, fresh or canned, 1 1/2 qts.

*Tomato puree, 1 qt.

*Sachet (ingredients tied in a cheesecloth bag):

• Dried thyme, 1/2 tsp.
• Bay leaves, 2
• Garlic cloves, 2
• Parsley stems, 5
• Peppercorns, crushed, 1/4 tsp.

*Salt, 3/4 oz.

*Granulated sugar, 1/2 oz.

*White stock, 1 1/2 qt.

*Pork bones, 1 lb.

Yield: 1/2 gal.

1. Render the salt pork over medium heat.
2. Add the mirepoix and saute, but do not brown.
3. Add the tomatoes and tomato puree, sachet, salt and sugar.
4. Add the white stock and bones.
5. Simmer slowly for 1/2 to 2 hours or until the desired consistency has been reached.
6. Remove the bones and sachet, and pass the sauce through a food mill.
7. Cool in a water bath and refrigerate.

Small Tomato Cooking Sauces

Creole - Saute 3 oz. finely diced onion, 2 oz. thinly sliced celery and 1/2 teaspoon garlic in 1 oz. oil. Add tomato sauce, a bay leaf and a pinch of thyme; simmer for 15 minutes. Then add 2 oz. finely diced green pepper and a dash of hot pepper sauce; simmer for 15 minutes longer. Remove the bay leaf.

Spanish - Prepare creole sauce as directed, adding 2 oz. sliced mushrooms to the sauteed onions. Garnish with sliced black or green olives.

The Hollandaise Family

Hollandaise and the small cooking sauces derived from it are emulsified sauces. Emulsification is the process by which generally unmixable liquids, such as oil and water, are forced into a uniform distribution. A properly made hollandaise is smooth, buttery, pale lemon-yellow-colored and very rich.

Hollandaise Recipe

*White peppercorns, crushed, 1/4 tsp.

*White wine vinegar, 3 fl. oz.

*Water, 2 fl. oz.

*Egg Yolks, 5

*Lemon Juice, 1 1/4 oz.

*Clarified butter, warm, 2 cups

*Salt and white pepper, TT

*Cayenne pepper, TT

Yield: 3/4 qt.

1. Combine the peppercorns, vinegar and water in a small saucepan and reduce by one-half.
2. Place the egg yolks in a stainless steel bowl. Strain the vinegar and pepper reduction through a chinois, into the yolks.
3. Place the bowl over a double boiler, whipping the mixture continuously with a wire whip. As the yolks cook, the mixture will thicken. When the mixture is thick enough to leave a trail across the surface when the whip is drawn away, remove the bowl from the double boiler. Do not overcook the egg yolks.
4. Whip in 1/2 fl. oz. lemon juice to stop the yolks from cooking.
5. Begin to add the warm clarified butter to the egg yolk mixture a drop at a time, while whipping the mixture to form an emulsion. Once the emulsion is started, the butter may be added more quickly. Continue until all the butter is added.
6. Whip in the remaining lemon juice. Adjust the seasonings with salt, white pepper and cayenne pepper.
7. Strain the sauce.

Small Hollandaise Sauce

Bearnaise - (bair-NAYZ) Combine 1 oz. chopped shallots, 2 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon, 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh chervil and 1/2 teaspoon crushed peppercorns with 4 oz. white wine vinegar. Reduce to 2 oz. Add this reduction to the egg yolks and proceed with the hollandaise recipe. strain the finished sauce and season to taste with salt and cayenne pepper.

I hope you will try most of the wonderful cooking sauces you see on this page. Ultimately, I hope you will begin to create your very own sauces, sauces to knock the pants off friends and family alike.

Thickening Agents
Finishing Techniques
Favorite Sauces
Other Sauces

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