Basic Professional French Cooking

On www.melaniff.com since 2016

Introduction to Basic Techniques

Session 4

1. 1.The Basic Liaisons: Binding Elements of Sauces
   

The aim of a liaison is to thicken a liquid to give it body and consistency.

    Basic Stocks + Binding Elements = Basic Sauces

Products employed:

1. A.Flour
   

1. 1.Liaison with a roux - Sifted flour is added to melted fat of butter and heated until the flour loses its raw taste as the mixture thickens. Cooking time depends on color desired, whit (blanc), blond or brown (brun). The roux should be 50% flour and 50% butter by weight.
   

2. 2.Liaison with beurre manié - flour is worked into butter at room temperature; no heat is applied.
   

3. 3.Dry liaison by the process - singer (pronounced san-jay) - item to be thickened is sprinkled with flour and sautéed or placed in the oven for 1-2 minutes, then moistened and cooked further.
   

4. 4.Liaison with roasted flour - flour is placed in an oven until colored lightly brown, then used to singer or in a roux brun.
   

2. B.Starch
   

1. 1.Potato Starch
   

2. 2.Arrowroot
   

3. 3.Corn Starch
   

4. 4.Rice Starch / Rice Flour
   

Method: Stir the starch into a cold liquid such as white wine, Madeira or water until it dissolves. Slowly pour the liquid in a fine stream into the boiling liquid to be thickened. Stir constantly until the liquid returns to a boil to avoid lumps.

100. C.Double Cream
     

Heavy Cream is reduced by half, then added to the liquid. It can’t be reduced further of it will break.

500. D.Mustard
     

French Dijon mustard has a slightly thickening effect. It should always be beaten in vigorously after the sauce is removed from the heat, and must never boil again.

5. E.Egg Yolk
   

Beaten egg yolk should be tempered with some warm sauce, then stirred in well and not allowed to boil or the yolk will curdle.

6. F.Vegetable Purée
   

Mirepoix or other vegetables cooked in a sauce can be thoroughly pureed and stirred back in.

7. G.Montér au Beurre
   

Butter added at the end and just before serving. Bo not allow to boil once added.

8. H.Cheese
   

Cheese added at the end, stir until melted. Do not allow to boil once added or will separate.

9. I.Blood
   

Add a small amount of warm sauce to the blood, then incorporate that mixture into the sauce off the heat. Put it back on the burner and heat it gently until it thickens slightly. Do not overheat it, it will curdle.

2. 2.General Principals of the Roux
   

3. -Melt the butter or fat. Pour in the sifted flour.
   

4. -Heat very slowly at first to assure even dispersal of the flour. The flour particles contain starch which will swell and absorb the fat evenly, unless they are sticking together. Heating too quickly can cause the starch to shrink and inhibit its activity, destroying the effectiveness of the liaison.
   

5. -Cook until the ingredients are well blended and thick and the desired color is achieved:
   

        Blanc - without coloration

        Blond - pale coloration

        Brun - brown

Darker rouxs have more flavor, but the longer cooking of the fat makes it less digestible. Dark rouxs are not suitable for paler, more delicate sauces. They also have less thickening power due to the breakdown of starch.

Chemical Composition of Roux:

    Butter

        Fatty materials minimum    80% (in Europe this is 82%)

        Water maximum                18%

        Soluble elements                2%

        Vitamins A & D

    (It takes approximately 22 liters if milk to make 1 kg butter)

    Flour

        Starch                            60 - 72%

        Water                             11 - 12%

        Gluten                            8 - 12%

        Fatty materials                1.2 - 1.4%

        Minerals                          .45 - .60%

        Sugar                             1 - 2%

        Vitamin B

3. 3.General Information on Sauces
   

Well prepared sauces are a crucial part of French cooking; their savor and aromatic value are largely responsible for the renown of French cuisine.

Most sauces are based on stocks, thickened with some kind of liaison and finished with wine, liqueur, herbs and spices, or other aromatic elements to enhance the flavor.

Creating perfectly seasoned, balanced sauces is often considered the most difficult position in the kitchen. The saucier must have a strong background and well developed palate, and must always be conscious of how the sauce will be used so it can compliment and harmonize with, but never overwhelm, the dish it will accompany.

The sheen, color and texture of a sauce are all important to its success.

4. 4.Glazes
   

Glazes (glacés) ate stocks reduced by 9/10 to a syrupy consistency and intense flavor. This savory concentration is achieved by slowly simmering the stock over a prolonged period of time, resulting in substantial evaporation. The purity of glazes is ensured by extremely careful skimming throughout the reduction. Since the flavors are so intensified by reduction, it is important to start with a good, delicately seasoned stock. Any seasoning error will become overwhelming in the glaze.

Uses

1. -To reinforce the character of a sauce if the stock used to make it was weak.
   

2. -To give added nuances to a sauce.
   

3. -To use as a sauce, after butter and cream are added. This is often done with fish glaze. The butter should be swirled in at the end (montér au beurre)
   

        Brown Stock - Meat Glaze

        Fish Fumet - Fish Glaze

        Poultry Stock - Poultry Glaze

        Game Stock - Game Glaze

5. 5.Derivatives of the Basic Sauces
   

The basic stock and liaison based sauces, Fonds Liés, Espagnole, Veloutés and Béchamel, are the basis for a broad range of variations.

Many of these sauces are finished by a procedure called ‘Montér au Beurre’. This means the small lumps of whole butter are swirled into a warm sauce at the end of cooking. The

melting butter adds sheen and richness. After adding the butter, the sauce cannot boil again or it will break.

Sauces Based on Bound Veal Stock

Bordelaise - A reduction by 8/10 of shallots, crushed peppercorns, thyme and bay leaf in red wine, combined with demi-glace, and strained. A few drops of lemon juice, chopped parsley and diced marrow are added. The richness of the marrow means additional butter is not needed.

    Steaks and meat.

Moelle - Same as Bordelaise, with additional marrow.

    Meats, vegetables, poached eggs

Robert - Ciseléed onions are sautéed in butter, then moistened with white wine and reduces by 7/10. Fond de veau lié and tomato paste are added. The sauce is seasoned and whipped with Dijon mustard.

    Pork, especially chops

Charcutière - Sauce Robert with the addition of julienned cornichons.

    Pork, charcuterie

Chasseur - Sliced mushrooms are sautéed in butter, ciseléed shallots are added and the mixture is flambéed with cognac. Deglaze with white wine reduce by 7/10 and demi-glace. Season and montér au beurre. Finish with chervil and chopped tarragon.

    White meats, veal, chicken

Diable - Ciseléed shallots and crushed peppercorns are reduced in white wine and vinegar. Demi-glace and tomato past are added. Season, strain, montér au beurre if desired, and finish with chopped parsley.

    Grilled fish, red or white meats.

Bercy - a reduction by 8/10 of shallots, crushed peppercorns thyme and bay leaf in white wine, combined with a demi-glace and strained. Season, montér au beurre and add parsley or tarragon.

    Grilled fish, red or white meats

Madère - Madeira wine is reduced with demi-glace, season and montér au beurre.

Financière - Sauce Madère with the addition of truffle juice.

    Bouchées financières

Périgourdine or Perigueux - Sauce Madère plus truffle juice and chopped truffles.

    First courses, timabales and pâtés chauds

Piquante - Ciseléed shallots are reduced by half in white wine and very good vinegar. Add demi-glace. season, and strain. Off-heat, add sliced cornichons, chopped parsley, chervil and tarragon.

    Roasted and boiled beef and pork, pork tongue, sliced beef

Milanaise - Julienned mushrooms, hame and tongue are sweated together and deglaze with Madeira. Reduce to a glaze and add fond du veau lié. Season and whip with butter.

Sauces Based on Bound Fish Fumet

Bercy - Ciseléed shallots are reduced in white wine and and fish fumet. Skim well, adjust seasoning, strain and montér au beurre.Finish with chopped parsley.   

Aurore - Velouté de poisson plus tomato coulis. Season and montér au beurre.

Bretonne - Julienned leeks, celery, onions and mushrooms cooked in butter à l’etuve, deglazed with white wine and reduce 4/5. Add velouté de poisson, boil, skim and adjust seasoning. Add crème fraîche or double cream and montér au beurre.

Câpres - Velouté de poisson with cream, plus a little lemon juice bound with egg yolks. Season and add capers.

Chaud-Froid - Velouté de poisson and cream, with gelatin added. Used for decorating cold fish plates.

Sauces Based on Bound Chicken Stock

Suprême - Velouté de volaille plus cream, seasoned and montér au beurre if desired.

Ivoire - Sauce Suprême plus meat glaze.

Albuféra - Sauce Ivoire, montér au beurre using pimento butter.

Chaud-Froid - Velouté de volaille and cream, with gelatin added. Used cold poultry dishes.

Sauces Based on Game Stock

Poivrade - A substantial mirepoix of carrots, onions, sprigs of thyme, parsley stems and bay leaves is sautéed in oil. The pan is deglazed with vinegar to dissolve the ‘sucs’ stuck to the bottom of the pan. Reduce to a glaze and ‘singer’ with browned flour. Moisten with brown game stock and the liquid in which pieces of game were marinated. Add crushed peppercorns and cook for 1 hour. Strain through a fine sieve.

Chevreuil - Sauce Poivrade with the addition of good red wine reduced by 8/10 with a touch of cayenne pepper.

Diane - Strongly seasoned Sauce Poivrade with a pronounced flavor, combined just before serving with whipped cream, 3 parts cream to 5 parts Sauce Poivrade.

Grand Veneur - Five parts Sauce Poivrade with the addition of one part current jelly and one part double cream.

Sauces Based on Bound White Veal Stock

Allemande - Velouté de veau with cream, egg yolk, mushroom juice, crushed peppercorns, lemon juice and nutmeg.

Poulette - Sauce Allemande with chopped parsley.

Sauces Based on Béchamel

Mornay - Béchamel plus shredded Gruyère, usually bound with egg yolks.

Crème - Béchamel with a good amount of cream added and acidulated with a few drops of lemon juice. May be montér au beurre.

Cary or Indienne (Curry or Indian) - Ciseléed onions and apples cut into irregular brunoise are sautéed in butter and singer with curry powder then added to Sauce Crème.

Soubise - Sliced onions are sweated in butter with no coloration, cooked in béchamel and strained.

Thermidor - Sauce Mornay with egg yolks, plus sauce Bercy, with Dijon mustard beaten in.

Smitani - Béchamel plus sour cream.

6. 6.Basic Sauces Chart

    RECIPES

    Sauce Espagnole

    Sauce Tomate

    Fond De Veau Lié

    Béchamel Sauce

    Sauce Bordelaise

    Sauce Chasseur

    Sauce au Capers

    Sauce Robert