Sauces in French Cuisine

Fond de Volaille (Chicken Stock)

Ingredients for 1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups)

600 g (21 oz ) boiling fowl and / or poultry carcasses

1.4 l (2 1/2 pt or 6 U.S. cups) water

100 g (3 1/2 oz) white vegetables: white part of leek, celeriac, onions

spices: salt, 1 bay leaf, 1 clove, 5 peppercorns, 1 small sprig of thyme, 1 small sprig of rosemary parsley stalks

Preparation

Cut boiling fowl into small pieces, boil (blanch): place in boiling water (1:10), vigorously boil for 2 minutes, drain, rinse boiling fowl (pieces) first with hot, then with cold water.

Cut vegetables into thumb size pieces.

Place boiling fowl (pieces) in pan, cover with 1.4 l (2 1/2 pt or 6 U.S. cups) of cold water, season with salt, slowly bring to the boil, skim frequently.

Reduce heat, gently boil for 30 minutes, then add spices and vegetables and continue to softly boil for another 30 minutes to 1.5 hours.

Pass through a coarse sieve first, then through a very fine tea strainer or through cheesecloth. Season to taste with salt.

Note

You can do without the first boiling (blanching) step. However, you will then have to skim the stock more frequently.

The remaining meat of the boiling fowl may be used to prepare, for instance, chicken salad or curry rice salad with chicken. Remove skin from pieces of chicken, bone meat and cut to pieces of desired size.

Fond de Poisson Blanc (White Fish Stock)

Ingredients for 1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups)

600 g (21 oz ) fish bones (exclusively from sea fish like turbot, sole, whiting)

1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) water

100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz or 1/2 U.S. cups) white wine

100 g (3 1/2 oz) white vegetables: white part of leek, onions, button mushrooms, parsley root, parsley stalks, celeriac

spices: salt, 5 peppercorns, juice of half a lemon (small)

Preparation

Cut vegetables into thumb size pieces, place in pan together with spices, place fish bones on top. Cover with 1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) of cold water, add salt, slowly and very carefully bring to boiling point, skim thoroughly. Add white wine and continue to gently cook just under the boiling point for 30 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat and let stand for another 15 minutes. Pass through a coarse sieve first, then through a very fine tea strainer or through a cheesecloth.

Note

Fish bones from sole, lemon sole, red mullet or whiting. Available at quality fishmongers or at speciality departments. If not readily available, sacrifice one whole fish and cut into pieces. Respect the times indicated for boiling and do not exceed them. Excessive cooking might result in undesired flavours reminiscent of fish glue.

Fond de Poisson Blanc – White Fish Stock

Fish Stock is the base for Fumet de Poisson, Velouté de Poisson or respectively for Sauce au Vin Blanc. The White Fish Glaze is produced by reducing the Fond de Poisson or the Fumet de Poisson.

1. Prepare, wash vegetables and cut into thumb size cubes.

2. Remove fish bones from blood residues and cut them into small pieces.

3. Place vegetables and peppercorns on bottom of the pan.

4. Place fish on top of vegetables.

5. Season fish and vegetables with salt.

6. Top up with water.

7. Add lemon juice.

8. Bring to boiling point and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Skim.

9. Add white wine and allow to simmer for another 30 minutes. Frequently skim.

10. At the end, pass Fond de Poisson Blanc carefully through cheesecloth.

1. Prepare, wash vegetables and cut into thumb size cubes.

2. Remove fish bones from blood residues and cut them into small pieces.

3. Place vegetables and peppercorns on bottom of the pan.

4. Place fish on top of vegetables.

5. Season fish and vegetables with salt.

6. Top up with water.

7. Add lemon juice.

8. Bring to boiling point and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Skim.

9. Add white wine and allow to simmer for another 30 minutes. Frequently skim.

10. At the end, pass Fond de Poisson Blanc carefully through cheesecloth.

Fumet de Poisson (Concentrated White Fish Stock)

Ingredients for 1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups)

400 g (14 oz) fish bones (only seafish – turbot, sole, whiting)

50 g (2 oz) shallots, chopped

100 g (3 1/2 oz) white vegetables: white part of leek, onions, button mushrooms, parsley roots, parsley stalks, celeriac

50 g (2 oz) butter

1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) Fond de Poisson Blanc

100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz or 1/2 U.S. cups) white wine

spices: 5 peppercorns

Preparation

Cut vegetables into thumb size pieces, sweat shallots in butter, but do not colour. Add the roughly cut fish bones and sweat everything together. Top up with Fond de Poisson. Slowly and very carefully bring to boiling point and skim thoroughly. Add white wine and peppercorns and continue to cook just under the boiling point for another 30 minutes (do not boil). Remove from heat and let stand for another 15 minutes. Thoroughly pass through a cheesecloth.

Fond de Poisson Rouge (Red Fish Stock)

Ingredients for 1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups)

2 l (3 1/2 pt or 9 U.S. cups) red wine, strong of dark colour

600 g (21 oz ) fish bones (of turbot, sole or whiting)

100 g (3 1/2 oz) white vegetables: white part of leek, onions, button mushrooms

spices: salt, 2 g (1/2 tsp) / l,5 peppercorns, 1 bay leaf, parsley stalks, thyme, possibly garlic

Preparation

Pour 2 l (3 1/2 pt or 9 U.S. cups) of red wine in a pan, bring to the boil and reduce to approx. 1.1 l (2 pt), let cool.

Cut vegetables into thumb size pieces, place in pan together with spices, place fish bones on top. Cover with the 1.1 l (2 pt) reduction of red wine, add salt, slowly and very carefully bring to boiling point, skim thoroughly. Gently cook just under the boiling point for approx. 30 minutes (do not boil).

Remove from heat and let stand for another 15 minutes.

Drain through a coarse sieve, then again through a very fine tea strainer.

Note

Fish bones of sole, lemon sole and red mullet. Available at quality fishmongers or at speciality departments. If not readily available, sacrifice one whole fish and cut into pieces. Respect the times indicated for boiling and do not exceed them. Excessive cooking might result in undesired flavours reminiscent of fish glue.

Fish stock with red wine is not directly used in the production of basic sauces and its variations, it rather a) serves as the base for the preparation of fish matelote or b) develops while preparing it. Fond de Poisson Rouge is mentioned here for the sake of completeness.

Glaces (Glazes)

Glaces are stocks concentrated in their consistency and flavours by reducing them. They are used to increase and perfect the flavour during the preparation of sauces. The reduction process also condenses the gelatinous substances, which is why glazes that have cooled down are rather solid in texture.

– Reduction of Fond de Veau Brun = Glace de Viande / Meat Glaze

– Reduction of Fond de Gibier = Glace de Gibier / Game Glaze

– Reduction of Fond de Veau Blanc = Glace de Viande Blonde / Blonde Meat Glaze

– Reduction of Fond de Volaille = Glace de Volaille / Poultry Glaze

– Reduction of Fond de Poisson (Fumet) = Glace de Poisson / Fish Glaze

Essence de Tomate (Tomato Essence)

Choose very ripe tomatoes. Wash, cut in half, remove peduncle. Briefly mix in a food processor. Place colander in sink and line with cheesecloth. Add mixed tomatoes. Lift cloth at all four edges and wring until the first juice is squeezed out. Cover tomatoes with cloth and weight down. Set aside in refrigerator overnight. Reduce tomato juice thus won until it is syrupy. Possibly pass through a cheesecloth one more time.

Essence de Tomate

The preparation of Essence de Tomate is more demanding, yet the resulting flavour is also more sophisticated. It is particularly suitable as an addition to delicate sauces to improve their taste.

1. Wash very ripe tomatoes and remove peduncle.

2. Cut tomatoes into small pieces.

3. Place in a food processor.

4. Briefly mix and puree tomatoes.

5. Pass through cheesecloth.

6. Thoroughly squeeze once. Reserve juice.

7. Squeeze out remaining mass using a glass bowl. You may also put a weight on top and set aside in refrigerator over night.

8. Pour liquid thus won into a pan.

9. Season the juice with a little bit of sugar and salt.

10. Reduce tomato juice until it is syrupy. Season to taste with basil.

11. Strain through cheesecloth again and squeeze thoroughly.

12. The remaining substance is concentrated Essence de Tomate.

1. Wash very ripe tomatoes and remove peduncle.

2. Cut tomatoes into small pieces.

3. Place in a food processor.

4. Briefly mix and puree tomatoes.

5. Pass through cheesecloth.

6. Thoroughly squeeze once. Reserve juice.

7. Squeeze out remaining mass using a glass bowl. You may also put a weight on top and set aside in refrigerator over night.

8. Pour liquid thus won into a pan.

9. Season the juice with a little bit of sugar and salt.

10. Reduce tomato juice until it is syrupy. Season to taste with basil.

11. Strain through cheesecloth again and squeeze thoroughly.

12. The remaining substance is concentrated Essence de Tomate.

Puree de Tomate (Tomato Puree)

Purée de Tomate as described in the recipes of this book has nothing in common with tomato puree or tomato paste that you will find in grocery stores, even if they bear the same name. The recipe given below demonstrates what is meant by Purée de Tomate. Commercial tomato puree or tomato paste might possibly be used to prepare brown sauces. Never add it to round off a sauce that has already been prepared because it would be too concentrated (and too crude in taste).

Ingredients for 1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups)

1500 g (3 1/2 lb) tomatoes, peeled and cored, cut in cubes

100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz or 1/2 U.S. cups) water

spices: salt, 2 g (1/2 tsp)/l

Preparation

Bring water to the boil, add tomatoes and bring to the boil slowly while stirring constantly. Reduce tomatoes over low heat until just about a maximum of 1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) is left. Puree in a blender and pass through cheesecloth with wooden spatula. Possibly reduce to the desired texture on heat.

Glace de Viande Brune – Meat Glaze

Glace de Viande Brune is based upon Fond de Veau Brun. Glaze is strongly reduced stock. Its preparation is always the same, be it for Glace de Viande Blonde or Brune, Glace de Poisson or Glace de Volaille. The reduction process not only includes the condensation of aromas, but also of the gelatinous substances, which is why glazes that have cooled down are rather solid in texture.

1. Bring the Fond de Veau Brun to the boil. Skim and degrease frequently while reducing the stock to 1/4 of its original volume. Depending on taste, it can be reduced to 1/10.

2. Pass the Glace de Viande Brune thus produced through a very fine sieve.

3. Return to the pot and bring to the boil once again.

4. Pour Glace for example into a preserving jar.

5. Close jar and store in refrigerator.

6. That way, Glace de Viande can be stored in portions and used when needed.

1. Bring the Fond de Veau Brun to the boil. Skim and degrease frequently while reducing the stock to 1/4 of its original volume. Depending on taste, it can be reduced to 1/10.

2. Pass the Glace de Viande Brune thus produced through a very fine sieve.

3. Return to the pot and bring to the boil once again.

4. Pour Glace for example into a preserving jar.

5. Close jar and store in refrigerator.

6. That way, Glace de Viande can be stored in portions and used when needed.

THICKENING AGENTS

Thickening agents have three functions to improve consistency (depending on the thickening agent). Their first task is to bind and thicken liquids, as the name suggests. Their second task is to round off the sauce’s taste. Their third task is to make the sauce smoother and creamier.

Farine (Flour)

Thickening sauces simply by flour can have the following reasons: 1. Re-thickening a sauce that is not sufficiently thick. 2. Reducing the energy content of a sauce by not using fat as a thickener. Thickening sauces simply by flour does not require any additional butter or fat (as is usually the case in a Roux). The following methods apply: a) for dark sauces: Mix flour with a little tomato puree and red wine until reaching a liquid consistency, b) for white sauces: mix flour with milk until reaching a liquid consistency, c) for all other white sauces: mix flour with water or, according to taste, with white wine until reaching a liquid consistency. In any case, pass through a sieve and add to gently boiling liquid, stirring the sauce vigorously until the desired consistency is reached. Important to note: Continue to gently boil sauce thickened with flour for at least 10 minutes, stirring it frequently so that the starch granules swell and the optimum thickening degree is reached without affecting the taste.

Roux

Sweating flour in fat has two advantages: 1. Starch turns into dextrin and thus loses its floury taste. 2. Flour is bound by fat as a “transportation vehicle” and dissolves more easily in the liquid / sauce. We differentiate between white and brown Roux. The thickening ratio for 1 litre of liquid / sauce: 40 g (1 1/3 oz) of butter or fat (coconut fat, margarine etc.) and 50 g (2 oz) of flour. a) White Roux for all white sauces: Slowly heat fat, and gently cook flour for one to two minutes over low heat. b) Brown Roux for all brown sauces: Slowly heat fat and gently roast and brown flour for approximately 30 minutes over low heat. In both cases: Add the warm liquid / sauce to the Roux which is still hot, bring to the boil, frequently stirring the sauce or alternatively place cooled down Roux in hot liquid / sauce and dissolve, stirring frequently. It is recommended to add hot liquid to cold Roux. Reason: The sauce boils up more quickly and the risk of burning is thus reduced.

Roux Clair

1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.

2. Add flour and mix with butter.

3. Gently sweat flour for a maximum of 2 minutes without browning it.

1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.

2. Add flour and mix with butter.

3. Gently sweat flour for a maximum of 2 minutes without browning it.

Roux Brun

1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.

2. Add flour and mix with butter, stirring constantly.

3. Slowly increase temperature until reaching desired colour (resembling hazel colour).

1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.

2. Add flour and mix with butter, stirring constantly.

3. Slowly increase temperature until reaching desired colour (resembling hazel colour).

Beurre Manié (Kneaded Butter)

Beurre Manié is in particular used when re-thickening sauces. The thickening ratio for 1 litre (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) of liquid / sauce (Fond de Veau Brun or Blanc (Brown or White Veal Stock)): 50 g (2 oz) of butter (you may also use other fats, like coconut fat, margarine etc.) and 50 g (2 oz) of flour. Knead together butter and flour. Add Beurre Manié to hot, yet not boiling Sauce and dissolve, stirring constantly. Continue to gently boil sauce for at least another 7 minutes to dissolve the flour completely and remove the floury taste.