*SAUCES*

In cooking, a sauce is liquid or sometimes semi-solid food served on or used in preparing other foods. Sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to another dish. Sauce is a French word taken from the Latin salsus, meaning salted. Sauces need a liquid component, but some sauces (for example, pico de gallo salsa or chutney) may contain more solid elements than liquid. Sauces are an essential element in cuisines all over the world.

Sauces may be ready made sauces, usually bought, such as soy sauce, or freshly prepared by the cook; such as Béchamel sauce, which is generally made just before serving. Sauces for salads are called salad dressing. Sauces made by deglazing a pan are called pan sauces.

A cook who specializes in making sauces is a saucier.

**The Five Mother Sauces**

According to the ultimate cooking reference book, The Food Lover's Companion(the Food Bible I used in Culinary School), the French are credited with refining the sophisticated art of sauce-making. The development of various sauces over the years stems from the 19th-century French chef Antonin Carême who evolved an intricate methodology by which hundreds of sauces were classified under one of five "mother sauces." Those basic sauces are the white sauce Béchamel, the light stock-based Velouté, the brown stock-based Espagnole; the two basic emulsified sauces, Hollandaise and Mayonnaise; and the oil and vinegar-based Vinaigrette.

*Bechamel Sauce*

Béchamel sauce, also known as white sauce, is one of the mother sauces of French cuisine and is used in many recipes of Italian cuisine, for example lasagne. It is used as the base for other sauces (such as Mornay sauce, which is Béchamel with cheese). It is traditionally made by whisking scalded milk gradually into a white flour-butter roux (equal parts clarified butter and flour by weight). Another method, considered less traditional, is to whisk kneaded flour-butter (beurre manié) into scalded milk. The thickness of the final sauce depends on the proportions of milk and flour.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons grated onion
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
• 1 pinch dried thyme
• 1 pinch ground cayenne pepper

Directions

1. MICROWAVE METHOD: In microwave oven, melt butter in a 1-quart glass measuring pitcher for about 1 minute at HIGH.
2. Add grated onion and flour and mix well. Gradually add warm or room temperature chicken broth (NOT hot) and half-and-half to container, stirring constantly.
3. Cook uncovered for 5-6 minutes at HIGH or until sauce is thickened. Do NOT boil.
4. After 2 minutes, stir mixture, then stir again every 30 seconds to one minute as needed. When sauce reaches medium thickness, remove from microwave, add seasonings and stir. Mmmm!
5. STOVETOP METHOD: In a small saucepan, melt butter and stir in the flour, salt and white pepper. Add cold half-and-half and COLD chicken broth all at once. Stir well. Cook, stirring frequently, at medium heat until thick. Remove from heat and stir in seasoning.

*Veloute Sauce*

In preparing a velouté sauce, a light stock (one in which the bones used have not been previously roasted), such as chicken, veal or fish stock, is thickened with a blond roux. Thus the ingredients of a velouté are equal parts by mass butter and flour to form the roux, a light chicken, veal, or fish stock, and salt and pepper for seasoning. Commonly the sauce produced will be referred to by the type of stock used e.g. chicken velouté.

Ingredients:

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 Tbsp clarified butter
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

Preparation:

1. Heat the chicken stock to a simmer in a medium saucepan, then lower the heat so that the stock just stays hot.
2. Meanwhile, in a separate heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the clarified butter over a medium heat until it becomes frothy. Don't let it turn brown, though — that'll affect the flavor.
3. With a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the melted butter a little bit at a time, until it is fully incorporated into the butter, giving you a pale-yellow-colored paste. This paste is called a roux. Heat the roux for another minute or so to cook off the taste of raw flour.
4. Using a wire whisk, slowly add the hot chicken stock to the roux, whisking vigorously to make sure it's free of lumps.
5. Simmer for about 30 minutes or until the total volume has reduced by about one-third, stirring frequently to make sure the sauce doesn't scorch at the bottom of the pan. Use a ladle to skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
6. The resulting sauce should be smooth and velvety. If it's too thick, whisk in a bit more hot stock until it's just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
7. Remove the sauce from the heat. For an extra smooth consistency, carefully pour the sauce through a wire mesh strainer lined with a piece of cheesecloth.
8. Keep the velouté covered until you're ready to use it.

*Hollandaise*

Hollandaise sauce is a thick, yellow buttery sauce that is typically associated with Eggs Benedict. Hollandaise sauce is an emulsion, which means that it is a combination of two liquids, in this case lemon juice and butter, that is held together and stabilised by a third agent, egg yolks, to form a rich and thick sauce.

Ingredients

• 8 oz (225g) of butter
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tbsp of hot water
• just over 1 tbsp of lemon juice
• pinch of salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Method

1. Melt the butter slowly in a medium-sized saucepan. Once the butter has melted, remove the pan from the heat and leave to one side.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks.
3. Whilst continuing to whisk, add the lemon juice, salt and cayenne pepper to the beaten egg yolks.
4. Next, very slowly to begin with, whisk in the melted butter and the 2 tbsp of water. Continue to whisk constantly.
5. Return the mixture to the saucepan, heat over a very low heat, still whisking all the time until the sauce thickens.
6. Serve immediately or keep warm for up to 30 minutes before serving.

*Vinaigrettes*

If you remember nothing else about vinaigrettes, remember this: the magic ratio of oil to vinegar is 3 to 1. As long as you know that, you won't need to consult a vinaigrette recipe ever again. Just remember three parts oil to one part vinegar and you'll be all right. If you get them backwards and do three parts vinegar to one part oil, your puckered mouth will ensure you don't make that mistake a second time.

*Raspberry Vinaigrette*

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup raspberry wine vinegar
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a jar with a tight fitting lid, combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, mustard, oregano, and pepper. Shake well.     

*Espagnole*

 The basic method of making espagnole is to prepare a very dark brown roux, to which veal stock or water is added, along with browned bones, pieces of beef, vegetables, and various seasonings. This blend is allowed to slowly reduce while being frequently skimmed. The classical recipe calls for additional veal stock to be added as the liquid gradually reduces but today water is generally used instead. Tomato paste or pureed tomatoes are added towards the end of the process, and the sauce is further reduced.

Ingredients

• 1 gallon brown stock, hot
• 1 1/2 cups brown roux
• 1/4 cup bacon fat
• 2 cups chopped onions
• 1 cup chopped carrots
• 1 cup chopped celery
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup tomato puree
• 1 bouquet garni

Directions

In a stock pot, whisk the hot stock into the roux. In a large saute pan, heat the bacon fat. Add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Saute until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir the tomato puree into the vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes. Add the tomato/vegetable mixture to the stock/roux mixture. Add the bouquet garni and continue to simmer, skimming as needed. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer the sauce for about 45 minutes. Strain the sauce through a China cap.

*Carolina BBQ Sauce*

North and South Carolina share three of the four types of barbeque sauce that Americans normally use. But only South Carolina is the home of all four. The second (in order of historic evolution) of the four sauces is the one that is distinct to South Carolina and the one that people most often think of as South Carolina style - Mustard Sauce. That sauce is the product of the large German heritage found in South Carolina.

*Peach Sweet & Sour Sauce*

(This sauce is wonderful with Pan-Seared Duck Breast)

Ingredients for 2 portions of Peach Sweet and Sour Sauce:
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
2 tablespoons peach preserves
3 tablespoons chicken broth or other liquid (wine, fruit juice, etc.)
pinch of Chinese 5-Spice
pinch of cayenne
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste, depending on what you are serving it on.

*Turkey Glaze*

Baste a turkey in this glaze of honey, apple cider and butter for a rich golden appearance and a pleasantly sweet flavor.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup sugar-free organic apple juice
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1/3 cup honey

Directions

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the apple cider, butter and honey.
2. Brush over entire bird 45 minutes before it completes cooking. Repeat several times before removing turkey from oven.               

*Bourbon BBQ Sauce*

"This is a barbecue sauce recipe using Kentucky bourbon whiskey. For best results, refrigerate for a day or two, allowing the flavors to blend."

Ingredients

• 1/2 onion, minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup bourbon whiskey
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 tablespoon salt
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/3 cup cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/3 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste

Directions

1. In a large skillet over medium heat, combine the onion, garlic, and whiskey. Simmer for 10 minutes, or until onion is translucent. Mix in the ground black pepper, salt, ketchup, tomato paste, vinegar, liquid smoke, Worcestershire sauce, brown sugar, and hot pepper sauce.
2. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer for 20 minutes. Run sauce through a strainer if you prefer a smooth sauce.

*Hot Dog Sauce*

"A flavorful meaty sauce with a slight kick that is guaranteed to liven up any hot dog!"

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef chuck
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/4 cup barbeque sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons salt, or to taste
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Brown beef and onion in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Drain fat; cool mixture slightly. Place in food processor; pulse until mixture is finely crumbled, about 5 or 6 pulses. Return meat to skillet; stir in garlic. Cook for 3 minutes.
2. Pour the ketchup and barbeque sauce into the skillet. Stir in the chili powder, mustard, pepper, salt, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, and water. Cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Season sauce with additional salt, if necessary.

 

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