Overview
This lecture covers the preparation of the five French mother sauces—béchamel, velouté, espagnole, tomato, and hollandaise—which serve as bases for many other sauces.
The Five Mother Sauces
- The five French mother sauces are béchamel, velouté, espagnole, tomato, and hollandaise.
- Each sauce serves as a base for a variety of derivative sauces used in many dishes.
BĂ©chamel Sauce
- BĂ©chamel uses a white roux made by cooking equal parts butter and flour without browning.
- Gradually add whole milk while stirring to prevent lumps and achieve a creamy, thick consistency.
- Seasonings can be added as desired.
- BĂ©chamel serves as the base for cheese sauce and mornay sauce.
Velouté Sauce
- Velouté uses a blonde roux, cooked until just pale golden brown.
- Add white stock (chicken, fish, veal, or vegetable) and stir to combine.
- Season as preferred and cook until thick enough to coat a utensil.
- Almond sauce is a common velouté derivative.
Espagnole Sauce
- Espagnole uses a brown roux made by deeply browning butter before adding flour.
- Add brown stock (roasted beef, veal, or chicken with vegetables), tomato paste, and seasonings.
- Simmer, add stock if needed, and cook to thicken.
- Demi-glace is a key derivative of espagnole sauce.
Tomato Sauce
- Peel and seed tomatoes by blanching; catch juice while removing seeds.
- Sweat onions, add tomatoes, and season with salt and pepper; simmer to reduce juice.
- Blend the mixture smooth and reduce further if necessary.
- Marinara and puttanesca are common derivatives.
Hollandaise Sauce
- Combine egg yolks with lemon juice and beat until fluffy and pale.
- Place over simmering water (bain-marie), ensuring the bowl does not touch the water.
- Gradually add melted butter while whisking until thickened.
- BĂ©arnaise is a classic hollandaise derivative.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Roux — mixture of equal parts fat and flour, cooked to varying degrees for thickening sauces.
- White Roux — roux cooked briefly to avoid browning, used in béchamel.
- Blonde Roux — roux cooked to a pale golden color, used in velouté.
- Brown Roux — roux cooked to a deep golden color, used in espagnole.
- Stock — flavored liquid (meat, fish, or vegetables) used as a sauce base.
- Emulsion — a mixture where fat is suspended in a liquid, used in hollandaise.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice preparing each of the five mother sauces as demonstrated.
- Review lesson links if further clarification or demonstration is needed.