SAUCES

• Sauces serve a particular function in the composition of a dish
• Sauces enhance the taste of the food to be served as well as add moisture or succulence to the food that is cooked dry
• Sauces enhance the appearance of a dish by adding luster and sheen
• A sauce that includes a flavor complementary to a food that brings out the flavor of the food. It defines and enriches the overall taste and its texture
• Sauce


  A fluid dressing for poultry, meat, fish, dessert and other culinary products
• Types of sauces


  • Bechamel
  • Veloute
  • Tomato
  • Demi-Based Sauces
  • Hollandaise Based Sauces
  • Miscellaneous Sauces
• Gravy


  A jus (the natural juices from a roast) that has been thickened with flour
• Demi-glace


  A sauce used to produce many small sauces
• Jus lie


  A sauce used to produce many small sauces
• Bechamel


  A very simple white sauce of flour, butter and milk
• Veloute


  A savory sauce, made from a roux and a light stock
• Creole Spanish sauce


  A spicy tomato sauce made with sautéed onions, green peppers, mushrooms, garlic, and a little hot sauce
• Hollandaise


  A sauce that is made by the emulsification of clarified butter into a sabayon or fluffy cooked egg yolks sauce
• Pan Gravy


  A sauce made by deglazing pan drippings from roast meat or poultry and combining them with a roux or other starch and stock
• Main ingredients used in sauce making


  • Flour or thickening agent
  • Fat
  • Liquid
  • Flavorings
• Thickening ingredients used in sauce making


  • Roux
  • Starch
  • Cornstarch
  • Arrowroot
  • Potato Starch
  • Beurre Manie
• Roux


  Flour and fat cooked together and used to thicken sauces
• Cornstarch


  A very fine white powder, a pure starch derived from corn, used as a thickening agent
• Arrowroot


  A roots of several tropical plants, similar in texture, appearance and thickening powder to cornstarch
• Potato Starch


  One of the first starches to be used in French cooking, used in the same way as cornstarch and arrowroot
• Beurre Manie


  A combination of equal amounts, by weight, of flour and soft whole butter, used for quick thickening at the end of the cooking process
• Flour


  Generally, a soft flour with a low gluten content is used, for example plain flour and cornflour
• Butter


  Used for cooking to finish sauces thickened with flour and for certain simple pan-deglazed sauces
• Double cream


  Has an especially high butterfat content and is particularly useful as a sauce thickener because it requires less reduction
• Heavy cream


  Has long been used to finish cooking liquids and sauces, almost universal base for white sauces
• Egg Yolks


  Thicken sauces in several ways, provide the base for emulsified sauces, and are used in conjunction with cream to finish the cooking liquid of poached meats and fish
• Nappe consistency


  A French culinary term referring to the consistency of a sauce, where it reaches a thickness that allows it to coat the food evenly
• Monter au beurre


  The process of swirling or whisking whole butter into a sauce to give it shine, flavor and richness
• Straining


  Smoothness is important to the success of most sauces, they can be strained through a china cap lined with cheesecloth or a fine mesh chinois to remove any lumps
• Reduction


  A process commonly used to thicken sauces because no starches or other flavor-altering ingredients are needed, by allowing the sauce to reduce until the desired consistency is reached
• Common problems in making sauces


  • Separation
  • Clumping
  • Too Thick or Too Thin
  • Burnt or Scorched
  • Lack of Flavor
• Separation


  Occurs when the ingredients in a sauce, such as oil and water, separate and form distinct layers, can be caused by inadequate emulsification, overheating, or adding ingredients in the wrong order
• Clumping


  Happens when the ingredients in a sauce, such as flour or cornstarch, form lumps and do not dissolve properly, can be caused by adding dry ingredients directly to hot liquid without properly mixing them first
• Too Thick or Too Thin


  A sauce can be too thick or too thin, which can affect its texture and consistency, can be caused by adding too much or too little liquid, or by not cooking the sauce for the correct amount of time
• Burnt or Scorched


  A sauce can become burnt or scorched if it is cooked over too high heat or for too long, resulting in a bitter taste and a dark, unappetizing color
• Lack of Flavor


  A sauce may lack flavor if it is not seasoned properly or if the ingredients used are not of high quality
• Sauces and starches should be kept in an airtight container and stored in a cool dry place away from the moisture, oxygen, lights, and pests
• Food made with starches contains egg, milk, cream of other dairy products all of which make them prone to bacterial contamination and to food-borne illnesses
• Thickened sauce should also be prepared, served, and stored with caution. These products should be stored in the refrigerator and never left to stay for long at room temperature