Other Sauces

 

            Not all sauces fit neatly into the five mother sauces.  Some of these sauces can loosely fit on one of the mother sauce, or possibly more than one mother sauce.  Others stand alone.

 

Pan sauces are made after meat is cooked and removed from the pan.  Wine or broth is added to the pan and whisked to incorporate the remains in the pan.  The sauce can be reduced.  Reduction sauces and deglazing fall into this category.

 

Gastriques Sauces are made from a sweet element married to an acid element.  The sweet element can be syrup, fruit juice, jam or jelly, or a sugar.  The acid element is often a vinegar or citrus juice.  The trick with gastriques is the right proportion of sweet to acid.

 

Butter Sauces can be as simple as melted butter.  They can be made with a liquid like water or milk and a thickening agent like cornstarch.  Herbes and vegetables such as capers, garlic, finely chopped chives, mushrooms, can be added to the butter for more flavor.  Sometimes the butter is cooked until it begins to turn brown or even black.

 

Types of sauces in this category Brown Butter Sauce, Black Butter Sauce, Caper Sauce, Amandine sauce, Fines Herbes Sauce, Maitre D’Hotel Butter, Mousseuer Sauces, Vincent Sauce, Vinaigrette.  There are many more not listed here.

 

This Week’s Challenge - Make a new sauce

 

            Make a meal and add a sauce to something you would normally serve without sauce.  This can be a meat or a vegetable.  Amandine sauce can be added to a steamed vegetable.  Make a pan sauce for you meat.

 

Tip for this Week – Sauce adds an elegant touch

 

            A simple meal can be made special with a sauce.  Sauces can be very simple or very involved.  It is a detail that can be added to elevate a meal.  A good sauce shows that you took a little more time to make the meal special.       The sauce needs to enhance the dish and it takes a little time and experimentation to get a perfect compliment.    

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Chocolate Sauce

 

The ingredients

2/3 C               Cocoa

1 2/3C             Sugar

1 ¼ C              Water

1 t                    Vanilla

  Pinch Salt

 

1.    Place the cocoa and sugar in sauce pan.  Whisk to blend.

Sugar and cocoa

Whisk to blend

 

2.    Add the water and whisk to blend.

Add the water to the cocoa mixture

Whisk to blend

 

3.    Bring to a boil over medium heat and cook for one minute.

Bring to a boil

 

4.    Remove from the heat and added the vanilla and salt.

Remove from the heat and add the salt and
vanilla.  Stir to release the steam and
cool the sauce.  

 

 This is a fat free sauce and great for desserts or making chocolate milk.

 

Chocolate Sundae

 

 

Coeur a la Crème

 

8 oz.    Cream cheese, at room temperature

½ C     Sour cream or crème fraiche

4 T       Powder sugar

1 t        Lemon juice, freshly squeezed

½ t       Vanilla

Pinch Salt

2 C      Frozen or fresh raspberries

¼ C     Sugar

¼ C     Framboise liqueur or Cointreau or Grand Marnier

 

The ingredients

Also needed

            Cheesecloth

            Heart mold either a large 6-7 inch or individual 2-3 inch.       

The traditional Coeur a la crème mold is porcelain with perforations in the bottom.  The can be found on line.

 

1.    Cut the cheese cloth to fit the mold.  Dampen it and wring it out.  The line the mold making sure there are no folds that will create wrinkle in the Coeur.

 

I use a heart shaped cake pan, a heart shaped
dish or individual molds also work.  The
traditional is a porcelain heart mold that
has perforations in the bottom.  This may be
found online.

Line the molds with two or three layers
of cheese cloth

 

2.    With a mixer beat the cream cheese for about three minutes.

 

Beaten cream cheese with the sour
cream added.

 

3.    Add the sour cream and powder sugar and beat another two minutes.

4.    Add the lemon juice, vanilla and salt.  Blend thoroughly.

 

Add the remaining ingredients
 and beat until smooth

It should be smooth and shiny.

 

5.    Pour the cheese into the heart mold. Making sure there are no air pockets.

 

Fill the molds and fold the cheesecloth
over the top.  Refrigerate overnight.

 

6.    Refrigerate several hours or overnight.  Liquid will drain, so place the mold on a dish or in a bowl.

7.    Puree the raspberries, reserving some for garnish.

 

I usually use fresh raspberries, but frozen
work just as well.

Place the berries and sugar in a blended
or food processor.  I used my mini processor.

 

8.    Add the sugar and liqueur.

9.    Refrigerate until ready to serve.

 

Blend until smooth and the sugar is
dissolved.  Strain the sauce to remove
any seeds and refrigerate.



To Serve

 

5.    Using a white plate pour enough raspberry sauce to cover the center.

6.    Unmold the Coeur a la crème. 

 

Unwrap the top of the mold and place a plate
over the top.  Turn it upside down and
allow the cream heart to drop out of the mold
unto the plate.  Remove the cheesecloth and
center the heart on the plate.

 

7.    Gently remove the cheese cloth.

8.    Remove any dripping liquid with a paper towel.

9.    Place the heart in the center of the dish surrounded in the raspberry sauce.

Carefully pour the raspberry sauce around the
Coeur de a Crème so that the heart is not touched
by the red sauce.  I like to garnish with a few
fresh raspberries.  Serve remaining raspberry
sauce on the side.

10. Garnish and serve.

 

 

 

 

Soup of the Week

 

Artichoke Potato Soup

From Twelve Months of Monastery Soups, by Father Victor-Antoine d’Avila-Latourretta

 

2 T       Olive oil

2 sm    Onions, chopped

2          Garlic cloves, minced

2 C      Dry white wine

6 med.Potatoes, peeled and diced

28 oz. Artichoke hearts, canned and drained or frozen and thawed

2 T       Lemon juice, fresh squeezed

6 C      Chicken or vegetable stock

1          Bay leaf

            Salt and pepper to taste

            Finely chopped parsley for garnish, cilantro or basil also works very well

           

The ingredients

 

1.    Pour the olive oil in a soup pot over medium-high heat.

2.    Add the chopped onions and sauté over low heat for two minutes.

 

Chop the onions

 

3.    Add the garlic and continue sautéing for one minute.

 

Mince the garlic

 

4.    Add the wine and cover the pot and cook on low heat for five minutes.

 

Add the wine to the sautéed onions and
garlic.

 

5.    Prepare the potatoes, artichoke hearts and lemon juice and add to the pot.  Stir well and cover.  Continue to cook for another five minutes.

 

Chopped the potatoes and add to the onions.
I used yellow potatoes.

 

I used frozen artichoke hearts and loosely
chopped them before adding to the onions

 

6.    Add the broth, by leaf, salt and pepper.  Bring the soup to a boil and stir from time to time for five minutes.

 

Potatoes and artichokes added to the onions

 

Lemon juice added

 

Broth and seasonings added..  I used
vegetable broth to make this vegetarian.

 

7.    Reduce the heat, cover the pot and simmer for 30minutes.

8.    To serve, remove the bay leaf, ladle the hot soup into serving bowls and garnish with chopped parsley.

 

Garnished with fresh basil in stead of parsley

Cooking time: one hour                     Makes 6 servings

 Happy Cooking!

Basic Cheesecake

Basic Cheesecake

 

            Cheesecake is technically a torte.  Tortes are similar to cakes, but they have no or very little flour. There may be flour in the crust, but there is none in the filling, and the topping usually has none or very little.   There are three parts to a cheesecake. The crust, the filling and the topping. 

 

The crust should go with the flavors used in the cheesecake and the topping.  Traditionally cheesecake has a crumb crust.  This is usually made from graham crackers, but just about any hard cookie (like gingersnaps or vanilla wafers) or cracker can be made into a crumb crust.  The crust allows for some opportunity for creativity.  So try something new.  Many people like using Oreo cookies in a crumb crust.  I prefer to use chocolate wafers instead.  Basically, crumb crust consists of crumbs, a little sugar and butter.  Often chopped nuts are added.  Sometimes candy can be melted over the crumb crust before the filling is added.

 

The filling can be plain cheesecake or flavors can be added.  I have seen swirls of jams or jellies add to the filling before baking.  Occasionally fresh berries can be added to the filling.  More often only flavorings are added.  Chocolate, coffee, and caramel are often used.  More often liqueurs are used to flavor the cheesecake.  I would be careful about adding too much to the filling.  Adding acid (like lemon juice) can affect the cheesecake. 

 

The topping can make the cheesecake simple, elegant or special.  The topping gives the opportunity for creativity to soar.  The topping should give a clue to the flavoring of the cheesecake or complement the flavors of the cheesecake and/or the crust.  Often cheese cake is served with fruit toppings.  The fruit can be fresh or cooked.  Canned pie filling often works very well.   An elegant topping could include rosette of whipped cream, dribbles of chocolate syrup, chopped toasted nuts, toasted coconut, and various types of chocolates and candies.  Special toppings may reflect the occasion or holiday, for instance making a chocolate spider web on top of a pumpkin cheesecake for Halloween, confetti candy topping for a birthday cheesecake, or sparklers for Fourth of July.

 

Cheesecake can have a very far range of flavors, textures, and visual appeal.  Let yourself be creative and explore possibilities.  Most of all have fun with it.

 

This Week’s Challenge

 

            Many cheesecakes can be made simply by adding to a basic cheesecake recipe. Your challenge is to use this following recipe or find a different recipe to make your basic cheesecake recipe.  I recommend trying several and decide on one to make your own. 

 

Tip for this Week – Cheesecake

 

            A trick a friend taught me is to add a little sour cream to soften the cream cheese.  This can make all the difference in the world.  The more sour cream added the softer the cheesecake.  The recipe calls for ¼ C sour cream.  I usually add more sour cream unless I’m adding a soft ingredient, like pureed pumpkin for pumpkin cheesecake. 

The correct method of baking the cheesecake is to wrap the bottom and sides of the spring form pan in foil and place the cheesecake in a pan of water.  The water adds humidity to the oven.  It’s my understanding that this helps to keep the top from cracking.  I experimented with this, with the two cheesecakes below and found that both cheesecakes cracked on top.  The cracks are caused when the cake expands during baking.  When the cheesecake cools the cracks come back together.  I never worry about the cracks, because the topping covers them.  So my advice is to try it yourself and decide what works best for you.  If you use foil, use heavy duty foil and do not make a seam by folding two pieces together.  Take every precaution to keep the water from seeping into the cheesecake.

 

 

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

 

Basic Cheesecake

Basic cheesecake served with fresh berries

One    Package graham crackers (about 8 crackers), crushed

¼ C     Sugar

¼ C     Butter, melted

24 oz. Cream cheese, use good quality

1 C      Sugar                      

¼ C     Sour cream

4-5      Eggs

1 T       Vanilla

2 C      Sour cream

½ C     Sugar

1 t        Vanilla

     The Crust

Ingredients for the crust.  I used Girl Scout Shortbread Cookies

1.    Crush the crackers or cookies is a Ziploc bag or process in a food processor. 

 

Place the cookies is the processor
with the sharp blade.

Process into fine crumbs. 

 

2.    Place in a small mixing bowl.  Add the sugar and stir to blend. 

 

Blend the sugar into the crumbs

 

3.    Add the melted butter and mix to combine. 

 

 

Butter added.  Stir to moisten all the
crumbs.  Do not saturate the crumbs
with the butter

There is a slight color change to the
crumbs that are moistened.  Stir until
all the crumbs change color.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

4.    Press into the bottom of an 8 inch springform pan and set aside. 

 

Spread the crumbs in the bottom of
the pan.  I like to use my fingers to
firmly press the crumbs evenly.

Another method to press the crumbs
in place is to use the bottom of a
glass.  Be sure to cover the seam
at the  edges well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

5.    Bake at 350 degrees for five minutes.  And allow to cool.

 

The crust should be slightly brown
around the edges.

 

 

The Filling

 

The ingredients for the filling.

 

6.    With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and first sour cream together. 

 

 

 

Make sure all ingredients are room
temperature.  The cream cheese
will whip easier and with less
lumps.  The sour cream will
help with this

Add the sugar and blend well.  If
adding a sweet ingredient, consider
reducing the amount of sugar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

7.    Add the sugar and mix until smooth. 

8.    Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the each egg is well blended before adding the next egg. 

Add the first egg and blend completely
before adding the next egg.

All the eggs added.  The filling will be
thin and the color should be light yellow.

 

9.    Stir in the first vanilla and pour into the spring form pan. 

Add the vanilla or other flavorings
at this stage.

Wrap the outside of the pan with
foil.  Use a single sheet of heavy
duty foil with not seams. 

 

10. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. 

Place the cheesecake in a pan of water.

The cheesecake will come out puffy.
Allow the cake to cool enough
to settle down.

 

11. The cheesecake should come out puffy and settle as it cools.  When it has settled. 

 

The Topping 

Ingredients for the topping.

 

12. Mix the second sour cream, sugar and vanilla. 

ix the ingredients and pour over the top
of the warm cheesecake

 

13. Pour over the cheesecake and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes or until set.

The topping will be thin.  Spread to
make the top even.  A design can be
made with chocolate syrup at
this point.

Bake five minutes until set.  It will
look thin, but slight translucent
around the edges.  It will firm
up when chilled.

 

14. Chill several hours before serving.

Fruit toppings can be added before
Removing the ring of the pan.
Loosen the clasp.  Check to make
sure the cake is coming away from
the ring. 

Use a knife to loosen the edge of the
cheesecake before removing the ring.



 

 

The cheesecake can be decorated at
this point.  This is a plain cheesecake.

When cutting the cheesecake use
a wet knife and clean it after each
cut.  Wet the knife again for the
next cut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Variations: 

 

Chocolate Cheesecake - ½ lb. melted chocolate may be added to the cheesecake after the eggs have been added.  

 

Lemon Cheesecake - grated lemon rind may be added with the vanilla after the eggs have been blended.  This goes for orange, lime and grapefruit, as well.

 

Pumpkin Cheesecake - add 1 C pumpkin puree after the eggs and 1 t cinnamon, ½ t ginger and ¼ t cloves instead of the vanilla.  Check out the Pumpkin Cheesecake posted on 2015-10-19.

 

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake - Mini chocolate chips may be added. 

 

Try adding different liqueurs or flavorings like jams or jellies

 

Try different kinds of crumb crusts, like gingersnaps for the pumpkin cheesecake.  I even found a crust made of pretzels.

 

Have fun experimenting.


 

print recipe

Basic Cheesecake

by Grace Barnes April-23-2016

Most cheesecakes can be made by adding to a basic recipe. This is the one I came up with a long time ago, early in my cooking experience. I may look at a recipe for cheesecake to figure out how I can modify this recipe.

Ingredients

• s graham crackers
• 1/4 C Sugar
• 1/4 C Butter, melted
• 24 oz. Cream cheese
• 1 C Sugar
• 1/4 C Sour cream
• 4-5 Eggs
• 1 T Vanilla
• 2 C Sour cream
• 1/2 C Sugar
• 1 t Vanilla

Instructions

1. Crush the cracker is a Ziploc bag or process in a food processor. 2. Place in a small mixing bowl. Add the sugar and stir to blend. 3. Add the melted butter and mix to combine. 4. Press into the bottom of an 8 inch spring form pan and set aside. 5. Bake at 350 degrees for five minutes. And allow to cool.6. With an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese and first sour cream together. 7. Add the sugar and mix until smooth. 8. Add the eggs one at a time, making sure the each egg is well blended before adding the next egg. 9. Stir in the first vanilla and pour into the spring form pan. 10. Bake at 350 degrees for one hour. 11. The cheesecake should come out puffy and settle as it cools. When it has settled. 12. Mix the second sour cream, sugar and vanilla. 13. Pour over the cheesecake and return to the oven for 5-10 minutes or until set. 14. Chill several hours before serving.

Details

Prep time: 30 mins Cook time: 1 hour 30 mins Total time: 2 hour Yield: 12 servings, 8" cheesecake

Lime Cheesecake (or lemon, orange or grapefruit)

 

Recipe for Basic Cheesecake above.

 

Ingredients for the lime topping

2 lg.     Limes

½ C     Sugar

3 T       Cornstarch

1/8 t     Salt

1 C      Water

2          Egg yolks, beaten

2 T       Butter

1/3 C   Lime juice, fresh squeezed

2 t        Grated lime rind

            Green food coloring (optional)

 

Prepare the cheesecake as directed in the recipe for Basic Cheesecake.  Add 2 T grated lime rind and a drop or two of food coloring when you add the vanilla to the cheesecake.  I recommend that you grate the rind from both limes.  Then juice the limes for the topping.
 

 



Add the grated lime peel and green
food coloring with the vanilla.

Prepare the filling.

Using a micro grater, grate the peel of
both limes.  Add 2 T to the filling and
reserve the rest for later.

Bake the cheesecake as directed.  Allow the cheesecake to cool slightly and add the sour cream topping.  Chill the cheese cake thoroughly.

 

Baked lime cheesecake cooling.tion



Add the sour cream topping.













Once the cheesecake is completely chilled, finish it with a lime topping.  I make a half batch of the filling for lemon meringue pie. A can of Key Lime pie filling can be used, too.

Ingredients for the LimeTopping



Canned pie filling or fresh pie filling.

 




1.    In a small saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt.  Whisk to blend. 

Sugar, salt and cornstarch

Slowly add the water.

 

2.    Slowly add the water, stirring constantly to prevent lumps.  It will look very milky.

3.    Place over medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil, thickens and becomes translucent.  Cook one minute longer and remove from the heat.

It is done when it looks translucent.

Sir constantly to prevent lumps
and scorching.

 

4.    In a small bowl beat the egg yolks and add a little of the hot mixture and beat.  This is an important step called tempering.  Tempering the eggs prevents the egg from cooking before it is incorporated causing chunks or flakes of egg.

Beat the egg yolks.

Add a small amount of the cornstarch
mixture to temper the yolks

 

5.    Then add the yolks to the hot mixture, whisking constantly until the yolks are well blended. 

Working quickly whisk in the eggs.

Return to the heat and cook
one minute.

 

6.    Return to the heat and cook one minute stirring constantly.

7.    Remove from the heat and add the butter.  Whisk until the butter is melted and absorbed. 

Add the butter and whisk until
it melts and blended.

Add the lime juice and rind.

 

8.    Add the lime juice, rind and food coloring.  Whisk to blend well.

9.    Allow the toping to cool to room temperature. 

The chilled lime cheesecake

Add the lime topping and chill
until time to serve.









 

10. Whisk the topping and place over the top of the cheesecake. 

11. Chill until time to serve.  

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Lime Cheesecake

by Grace Barnes April-23-2016

This is a variation of the basic cheesecake. It can easily be lemon, orange, grapefruit or any other citrus fruit.

Ingredients

• 2 Limes, large
• 2 C Crumb crust
• 1 Basic Cheesecake recipe
• 1 T Lime rind grated
• 2-3 drops Green food coloring
• 1 Sour cream topping
• 1/2 C Sugar
• 3 T Cornstarch
• 1/8 t Salt
• 1 C Water
• 2 Egg yolks, beaten
• 2 T Butter
• 1/3 C Lime juice
• 2 t Lime peel, grated
• 2-3 drops green food coloring

Instructions

1. Make a crumb crust according the recipe for basic cheesecake.2. Prepare the filling as directed in the basic cheesecake recipe, adding 2 T grated lime rind with the vanilla.3. Make the sour cream topping as directed in the basic cheesecake recipe.4. Chill until ready to serve..5. In a small saucepan, mix the sugar, cornstarch and salt. Whisk to blend. 6. Slowly add the water, stirring constantly to prevent lumps. It will look very milky.7. Place over medium heat and stir constantly until the mixture comes to a boil, thickens and becomes translucent. Cook one minute longer and remove from the heat. 8. In a small bowl beat the egg yolks and add a little of the hot mixture and beat. This is an important step called tempering. Tempering the eggs prevents the egg from cooking before it is incorporated causing chunks or flakes of egg.9. Then add the yolks to the hot mixture, whisking constantly until the yolks are well blended. 10. Return to the heat and cook one minute stirring constantly.11. Remove from the heat and add the butter. Whisk until the butter is melted and absorbed. 12. Add the lime juice, rind and food coloring. Whisk to blend well. 13. Allow the toping to cool to room temperature. 14. Whisk the topping and place over the top of the cheesecake. 15. Chill until time to serve.

Details

Prep time: 45 mins Cook time: 2 hour Total time: 2 hour 45 mins Yield: 9" cheesecake, 12 servings

Vegetable of the Week

 

Sautéed Mushrooms

 

1 lb.     Mushrooms (your choice, I like crostini or baby portabella)

4 T       Butter, unsalted

2 T       Sherry or other white wine

            Granulated garlic

            Salt and Pepper to taste

 

The ingredients

1.    Wash the mushrooms and prepare them.  I usually leave them whole, but they can be quartered or sliced.  Chefs recommend that mushrooms be wiped and not washed.  Mushrooms have natural liquid and washing them adds more liquid.  I love the liquid from mushrooms, so I prefer to wash them.

Washed and trimmed mushrooms

 

2.    Over medium heat, melt the butter in a skillet that will accommodate all the mushrooms. A splash of oil can be added to keep the butter from scorching.

 

Unsalted butter resists burning
better than salted butter.

3.    Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms.  Stir to coat the mushrooms in the butter.  Watch them closely.

Saute until the mushroom reduce in size.

 

4.    When the mushrooms have reduced in sized and released some of their liquid, add the wine and seasonings.  Continue to gently stir until the liquid bubbles.

I usually use sherry, you can use
the wine you have plan for the meal.

 

5.    Cook until the liquid is reduced to the desired amount and the alcohol is cooked out.

6.    Serve with steak, roast beef, baked chicken or pork chops.  Other grilled or roasted meats can go well with sautéed mushrooms.

 

Note:  Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce can be used instead of the wine.  I like mushrooms this way too.

 

 

 

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Sauteed Mushrooms

by Grace Barnes April-23-2016

This is an easy side dish that adds rich deep flavors

Ingredients

• 1 lb. Mushrooms
• 1/4 C Butter, unsalted
• 2 T Sherryor other wine
• 1/4 t Garlic powder
• to taste salt and pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the mushrooms and prepare them. I usually leave them whole, but they can be quartered or sliced. Chefs recommend that mushrooms be wiped and not washed. Mushrooms have natural liquid and washing them adds more liquid. I love the liquid from mushrooms, so I prefer to wash them.2. Over medium heat, melt the butter in a skillet that will accommodate all the mushrooms. A splash of oil can be added to keep the butter from scorching.3. Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms. Stir to coat the mushrooms in the butter. Watch them closely.4. When the mushrooms have reduced in sized and released some of their liquid, add the wine and seasonings. Continue to gently stir until the liquid bubbles.5. Cook until the liquid is reduced to the desired amount and the alcohol is cooked out.6. Serve with steak, roast beef, baked chicken or pork chops. Other grilled or roasted meats can go well with sautéed mushrooms.Note: Soy sauce or Worcestershire sauce can be used instead of the wine. I like mushrooms this way too.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 20 mins Total time: 30 mins Yield: 4 servings

Also this week - Street party

 

            I live on a great street.  All the neighbors know each other.   We often get together for sports events, food (yes we all foodies), movies and games.  All ages are there from babies to seniors.  We had relatives visiting at one house, and I know it was a busy week.  I made pasta and made a meal around it for all the neighbors.  Cesar Salad with my homemade dress (posted ), garlic toast, homemade pasta with oven roasted vegetables and Italian sausage, and ricotta cheesecake (coming up in a future post). The dinner turned out well and was greatly appreciated.  It was the first time in a while that all the neighbors were out. 

 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Happy Cooking!