Basic Sauces

         There have been many changes around here.  In June, I had surgery.  In July, I recuperated. In August, I went back to work and upgraded the stove to gas.  In September, I’ll be upgrading the refrigerator and dishwasher.  So it has been an exciting summer.  Now I need to get my priorities straightened out.  Among the first things is to lose weight, eat healthier, exercise and get back to regular blogging.  We are going to be looking as sauce for the next two months.

            Sauces have been part of cuisine since the beginning.  Many ancient societies had a fermented fish sauce use in flavoring other sauces.  The Romans did.  Similar sauce still exists in Southeast Asian cuisines.  Some are still in use today.  Before refrigeration sauces were used to cover or disguise not so fresh meats.  Today sauces are used to enhance or compliment a dish.  With this in minds, sauces should not over power the dish.  I’m a big fan of serving sauces under the meat or on the side for dipping.

 

Most sauces can be grouped into five categories or Mother Sauces.  Most sauces are a variation of these five sauces.  It is a good idea to be familiar enough with these five basic sauces and to use them in your cooking.  I encourage you to check this out online.   http://culinaryarts.about.com/od/sauces/tp/Mother-Sauces.htm  or google mother sauces.

 

Roux is the base of many sauces.  It is a basic cooking technique and you should be very familiar with it.  Basically, roux is equal parts butter and flour.  The butter is melted and the flour added.  This is cook over low heat until the roux turns the desired darkness.  Then liquid is slowly added while whisking to make a sauce.  The more liquid, the thinner the sauce will be.    Check out the April 10, 2016 posting.

 

 

 

 





2 T butter melted.  Add an equal amount
of flour (2T).  Cook stirring constantly to
the desired darkness..



Cook to the desired darkening, stirring
constantly,  Then add the milk a little
at a time, stirring to the desired
consistency.





Add the milk a little at a time, stirring to break
up lumps.  Try to keep the mixture at white
as possible for white sauce or Béchamel.
 



Roux cooked to medium darkness.
 

Roux cooked to dark.  It can be cooked
even darker.

 

            Béchamel sauce is made with roux and dairy products.  It is a basic white sauce.

Veloute sauce is made with roux and light colored broth, like chicken, turkey, veal, fish or seafood stocks.  It is also a white sauce.

Espagrole sauce is made with roux and dark stock, like beef stock.  It is a brown sauce.  Many gravies are classed ats this sauce.

Tomato sauces have a tomato base.  I expand this group to include other vegetables and fruits.  Many pureed sauces fall in this category.

Allemande or Hollandaise are sauces enriched with egg.

 

There are other sauces that don’t fit in these categories, like caramel and chocolate sauces.  I would put pesto into the tomato/vegetable sauces.

 

There are several cookbooks on sauces.  I highly recommend Sauces; Classical and Contemporary Sauce Making, by James Peterson.  Cookbooks can be expensive and I suggest checking this out from the library to see how you like the book and if you will use it in the future.

 

 

This Week’s Challenge – Sauce research

 

Research the mother sauces.  Most cuisines will have mother sauces and some are slightly different from the French sauces.  If you are interested in other cuisines choose one and research the sauce from that cuisine.  Look at how the sauces are related to the French mother sauces.  Read about these sauces and check out some of the variations for each sauce.

 

Tip for this Week - Use a whisk

           

            1) When making sauces whisks are essential to making sauces.  There are several kinds of whisks and each and several sizes.  All are used for different purposes.  Use the correct whisk for the job.  When using a whisk, make sure to whisk around the edges of the pan or bowl and over the whole bottom of the pan.

These are the whisks I use.  Left to right:
small whisk used for beating eggs, flat
whisk I like to us for sauces and gravies,
and standard whisk I have in four sizes.

 

            2) Straining sauces and gravies is sometimes needed to remove lumps.  A large wire strainer or food mill can be used for this.  I find with attention and care lumps should not happen.  In some sauces the final step is to strain to remove seasonings and large pieces used in adding flavor.  I don’t recommend using a blender or food processor, unless recommended in the recipe.

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Grenache

The ingredients.  Heavy whipping
cream, one pound chopped Belgian
dark chocolate and 2 T unsalted butter.

Place the chopped chocolate in a glass
bowl.  make sure the chocolate is room
temperature. I like to soften it in the
microwave for one minute.   Put the
butter on top of the chocolate just
before adding the hot cream.

Bring one cup of heavy whipping
cream to a rolling boil.  And
pour over the chopped chocolate.

Pour the hot cream over the chocolate and butter.

Stir to melt the chocolate into a beautiful sauce.
Use only glass and metal utensils.  Wood can
retain water and water will make the chocolate
seize up.

Stir to melt all the chocolate and cool the
Grenache to the desired consistence.

 

 

Tips:  Use only heavy whipping cream, the heavier the better.  Light cream will not work.  I sometimes microwave the chocolate a little to soften it for the hot cream.  It is important not to use wooden spoons with this.  Any water will make it cease up (that is why light cream or half n half will not work).  Dark chocolate works best, milk chocolate will be a little softer.

 

Uses:  I like to use Grenache as a frosting.  It can be used a coating on fruit and cookies. Let it harden, form it into balls and you have truffles.  It can be used as a drizzle on cookies, pastries and cakes.  My favorite use is as hot fudge over ice cream.

 

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Grenache

by Unknown September-9-2016

Ths can be a confection or a sauce and has many uses. I prefer it to any chocolate sauce. I have used it as frosting for cakes, garnish for pastries or for dipping fruit. It is the center for chocolate truffles. It is easy to make and impressive.

Ingredients

• good Belgian chocolate, chopped 1 lb.
• Heavy whippng cream 1 C
• Butter, unsalted 2 T

Instructions

1. Finely chop the chocolate and place in a heat proof bowl. I like to use glass. 2. In a 1-2 qt. saucepan, place the cream and bring to a rapid boil. It is important to have a big enough pan so the cream will not boil over. It gets very frothy. 3. Put the butter over the chopped chocolate. 4. Pour the very hot cream over the chocolate and beat. At first it will look like chocolate milk, as you beat the chocolate, it will gradually start looking like smooth melted chocolate and will begin to thicken. 5. Continue beating, to cool the Grenache to the desired consistency.Tips: Use only heavy whipping cream, the heavier the better. Light cream will not work. I sometimes microwave the chocolate a little to soften it for the hot cream. It is important not to use wooden spoons with this. Any water will make it cease up (that is why light cream or half n half will not work). Dark chocolate works best, milk chocolate will be a little softer.

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 5 mins Total time: 35 mins Yield: 3 Cups

Blueberry Clafouti

 

Clafouti is an easy dish of fruit and eggs usually serve for brunch or dessert.  It is properly done with fresh cherries, but today any fruit will work.  The Barefoot Contesse has an excellent pear clafouti recipe that really hooked me on Clafouti.  Basically, arrange the fruit in a shallow baking dish.  Make the custard filling and pour over the fruit and bake.  I can be serving warm or cold.   I have tried cherries, blueberries, peaches and apricots.  Raspberries don’t work as well, but could be used with blackberries and blueberries.

The ingredients

Arrange the fruit in the uncooked pie crust.

In a medium bowl, add the eggs and beat

.

Add the sugar to the eggs and blend.

Add the cream and vanilla and blend.

Add the flour and salt and blend.

The custard batter should look like this.

Pour the batter over the fruit and bake.

It should be a little puff and will settle as it cools.
Serve sprinkled with powder sugar or with a side
of whipped cream.

 

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Blueberry Clafouti

by Grace Barnes September-9-2016

Clafouti is an easy dish of fruit and eggs usually serve for brunch or dessert. It is properly done with fresh cherries, but today any fruit will work. The Barefoot Contesse has an excellent pear clafouti recipe that really hooked me on Clafouti. Basically, arrange the fruit in a shallow baking dish. Make the custard filling and pour over the fruit and bake. I can be serving warm or cold. I have tried cherries, blueberries, peaches and apricots. Raspberries don’t work as well, but could be used with blackberries and blueberries.

Ingredients

• 1 pint Blueberries or other fruit
• 3 Eggs
• 3/4 C Sugar
• 1 C Light cream, milk or buttermilk
• 1 t Vanilla
• 3/4 C Flour
• 1/4 t Salt
• 1 T Powder Sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.2. Grease a 9” tart pan or 8” X 8” baking dish.3. Wash the blueberries and place evenly on the bottom of the dish.4. In a medium mixing bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk.5. Add the sugar and beat well.6. Add the vanilla and cream and beat well.7. Add the salt and flour and beat well.8. Pour the batter over the blueberries.9. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. The clafouti should spring back when touched.10. Allow to cool slightly. Serve warm or cold, as dessert or breakfast.11. To serve, cut a slice of the clafouti and dust with a little powder sugar. It can also be served with cream, whipped cream, or ice cream.Note traditional clafouti is made with cherries. Many different fruits can be used apples, peaches, plums, berries, pears, or a combination of fruit.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 45 mins Total time: 1 hour 5 mins Yield: one 10" tart

 

Salad of the Week

 

Bok Choy Salad

            This is a great salad for summer picnics and outdoor eating.  It holds up to the heat of the day.  The crunchies really make this salad.  It is refreshing and bok choy is only 9 calories per cup.  But watch out for the crunchies. 

 

The crunchies really make this salad.

Cut the root end off the bok choy
and separate the stems.

Wash and slice the stem vertically
and then horizontally.

 

Place the bite-sized pieces in the serving bowl.

 

Melt the butter.
 

Remove the flavor pack from the ramen
and save it for another use.

Hold the ag closed and bet the ramen with a
heavy spoon or meat mallet to break the
ramen into small pieces.

Add the slivered almond to the butter and stir
to brown evenly.

When the almonds begin to brown add the ramen.
Continue stirring so they don't burn.

When the ramen begins to brown add the
sunflower seeds and cook a minute or
two longer.  Remove fro the heat to cool.

 

Place the sugar in a small pan and add the
rice vinegar.  Heat to dissolve the sugar,

Add the oil to a pint jar with a tight fitting lid.
 

Add the soy sauce

 

Then add the cooled vinegar mixture.
Place the lid on and tighten.  Shake to
mix the dressing.
 

If you are trans porting this salad, place
 the crunchies on a sheet of foil.

Fold the foil around the cooled crunchies.

Fold the ends over.  Do not refrigerate.

Transport the salad in three parts, the bok
choy, the crunchies and the dressing.

To assemble the salad and some of the
dressing and toss, then top with the
crunchies.  I find the amount of dressing
is a little too much for the salad.

Grilled steak and bok choy salad

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Bok Choy Salad

by Unknown September-9-2016

This is a great salad for summer picnics and outdoor eating. It holds up to the heat of the day. It is refreshing and bok choy is only 9 calories per cup. But watch out for the crunchies. The crunchies really make this salad.

Ingredients

• 0ne or two bok choy
• 5 green onions (optional)
• 6 T Butter
• 3/4 C Almonds, slivered
• one package Ramen, broken in small pieces
• 1/2 C Sunflower seed, shelled
• 1/2 C Vinegar, rice or distilled
• 1/2 C Sugar
• 3/4 C Canoli or vegetable oil (not olive oil)
• 1 T Soy sauce, dark

Instructions

1. Clean and chop the bok choy and scallions. Place in your serving bowl.I usually skip the green onions2. Make the crunchies by melting the butter in a frying pan. 3. Watch careful as this burns easily. Sauté the almonds. 4. When they begin to brown, add the broken ramen noodles. 5. When they begin to brown, add the sunflower seeds. 6. Remove from the heat and allow to cool in the pan.7. Make the dressing by heating the vinegar and sugar in a small sauce pan until the sugar is dissolved. 8. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. 9. I like to make the dressing in a pint jar. Pour in the vinegar mixture.10. Add the oil and soy sauce. Shake before adding to the salad.11. To assemble the salad, add the dressing to the bok choy and toss. Top with all the crunchies and toss just before serving. 12. This salad remains crunchy at room temperature for a long time. This salad is good left over, but the crunchies will begin to get soggy after the dressing is added.13. If you are taking the salad, transport all three parts separately and assemble the salad before serving it. Wrap the crunchies in foil. This important, because plastic wrap or containers will make the crunchies soggy. The salad may be stored in the refrigerator, but leave the dressing and crunchies at room temperature.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 8 Cup salad


Also this week:  the new appliances are all installed.

Happy Cooking!