The finishing touch for many recipes is the addition of a sauce, which can add depth, color and texture to a dish, enhancing its flavor and visual appeal. From the basic five “mother sauces”inspired by the French, there are dozens, if not hundreds of variations that can transform a dish from ho-hum to haute cuisine.
The French are recognized with developing and refining the delicate art of sauce making. Much of the credit goes to Marie Antoine (Antonin) Carême, a 19th-century Frenchman who has been dubbed “The First Celebrity Chef” Carême developed a complex process by which hundreds of different sauces were categorized and classified according to ingredients and preparation methods. Thus was born the five, traditional “mother sauces,”which are:
Bechamel ” This basic and classic white sauce is the “king”of all sauces, since it is used as the foundation for more variations than almost any other sauce. Often referred to as a cream sauce, because of its thick and cream-like appearance, Bechamel is made by stirring milk into a butter and flour roux mixture. The consistency and richness of the sauce depends on the proportion of flour and butter to the milk. A medium sauce would use one cup of milk and two tablespoons each of butter and flour. Common sauces in this group include Crème, Mornay and Soubise.
Espagnole ” This is a basic brown sauce, traditionally crafted from a rich meat stock, a mixture of browned and caramelized vegetables (traditionally diced carrots, celery and onions), a smooth, brown roux and fresh herbs. Occasionally, some tomato paste may be added. Examples of brown sauces include Bordelaise, Chasseur, Diablo, Diane, Madeira, Mushroom and Zingara.
Hollandaise – This is an emulsified sauce that combines egg yolks and fat. Hollandaise is made withbutter, egg yolks and lemon juice and then very gently warmed, usually in a double boiler. It is important to keep the heat low to prevent the eggs from solidifying. This delicate sauce should be served immediately. It makes a rich topping for seafood, vegetables, and egg dishes, and is best known as the sauce that goes with Eggs Benedict. Hollandaise is the base for such sauces as Bearnaise, Maltaise and Choron.
Veloute РThis is a light, stock-based white sauce. It can be made from chicken, veal or fish. Veloute may be enriched with the addition of egg yolks or cream, but this also makes it much more delicate. Common sauces in this group include, Allemande, Ravigote, Supr̬me, and White Bordelaise.
Tomato – This is a rich, hearty red sauce made with tomatoes. It is perhaps the simplest of all the sauces because it is holds up well, can be frozen, and adapts to a multitude of dishes with a variety of different seasonings. From this base, you can create Marinara, Bolognaise, Napolitaine, Provencale , Portugaise and Puttanesca sauce.
Almost every sauce that is made today can be traced back to one of the original “mother sauces.” While sauces, in the past, were often used to mask poorly prepared, substandard or even slightly spoiled food, today’s recipes enhance and elevate the food we eat to new levels.
Use the freshest ingredients possible when making sauces from scratch. Although you can get many of these sauces pre-made in bottles or in an “instant” powdered form, a homemade sauce is far superior to anything that has been packaged in a commercial kitchen. The only caution is that chefs need to exercise extreme care during the cooking process so the delicate balance of flavors and textures are not lost or destroyed.
If you’d like to try your hand at a recipe or two using some of the “mother sauces,” check out these recommendations from the FriendsEat.com recipe pages.
Cauliflower and Broccoli Flan with Spinach Bechamel
Beef Tenderloin with Mushrooms and Espagnole Sauce
Linguine with Puttanesca Sauce
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