The 5 Mother Sauces Recipes
Veloute Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
- 5 Tablespoons butter
- 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups chicken stock
- Salt
- Ground black pepper
Preparation:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until it forms a smooth paste. Continue whisking, cook for about 2 minutes, and then gradually – ⅓ cup at a time – add the chicken stock.
Continue whisking and cook until the sauce is completely heated through, smooth, and thickened. Remove from the heat and season with the salt and pepper, to taste.
Béchamel Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
- 5 Tablespoons butter
- 4 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 2 teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
Preparation:
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and whisk in the flour until it forms a smooth paste. Continue whisking, cook for about 2 minutes, and then gradually – ⅓ cup at a time – add the milk.
Continue whisking and cook until the sauce is completely heated through, smooth, and thickened. Remove from the heat and season with the salt and nutmeg.
This béchamel sauce recipe makes approximately 4 cups of sauce.
Espagnole Sauce (brown sauce)
Ingredients:
- ½ cup butter
- 1 medium carrot, chopped coarsely
- 1 small onion, chopped coarsely
- 1 rib celery, chopped coarsely, leafy tops included
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 4 cups hot beef stock
- ¼ cup tomato puree
- 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely chopped
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 small bouquet garni
Preparation:
In a large saucepan set over medium heat, melt the butter and sauté the carrots, onions, and celery in the melted butter until the vegetables turn translucent. Sprinkle the flour evenly across the vegetable and stir it in, until the flour is fully mixed into the melted butter. Allow the mixture to cook and thicken into a roux; this takes about 1 to 2 minutes.
Whisking constantly, pour the hot beef stock and tomato puree into the roux. Add the garlic, peppercorns, and bouquet garni into the sauce and simmer it, uncovered and stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the bouquet garni and discard it. Use the sauce as a base for demi glace or other sauces.This espagnole sauce recipe makes approximately 3 cups of sauce.
Tomato Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 or 3 garlic cloves, sliced
- 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 3 ½ pounds fresh ripe tomatoes, cut into chunks, OR 1 (28 ounce) can whole tomatoes with juice, chopped
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Preparation:
In a heavy nonreactive saucepan over low heat, sweat the garlic in the oil until it begins to soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the tomatoes, salt if you wish, and sugar.
Raise the heat slightly, and cook rapidly, stirring frequently, while the tomatoes give off their juice and cook down to a thick mass, 15 to 20 minutes. Watch the mixture carefully toward the end to make sure it doesn’t scorch.
Put the sauce through the fine disk of a food mill, discarding the seeds, bits of skin, and other residue. If the sauce seems thin, return it to a medium-low heat and continue cooking, stirring constantly, and watching very carefully, until it reaches the desired consistency.Makes about 2 cups sauce.
Hollandaise Sauce (blender method)
Ingredients:
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 stick butter
Preparation:
In the blender, combine the egg yolks and lemon juice. Cover and blend for 5 seconds.
Place the butter in a microwave-safe measuring cup and heat on HIGH for 1 minute, or until completely melted.
Turn the blender on high speed and very slowly pour the butter into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream. The sauce should thicken almost instantly. Turn off the blender after the last drop of butter.