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fandomhigh2013-10-29 12:41 am
sharp_as_knives) wrote in fandomhigh2013-10-29 12:41 am
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Beginning Gourmet Cooking Techniques | Tuesday, 1st Period
They were back in the Danger Shop again today, and Hannibal nodded at the students and waved them over to his counter at the front.
"Now that you've learned a bit about employing different types of cookware, you should be able to start with a few sauces. In classic Western cuisine, there are five sauces which are referred to as 'mother sauces'; this is because each of them can be used as a base for many other sauces, so once you learn each of them, you've mastered a good deal more than just one sauce."
He had five dishes in front of him, and indicated them in turn; there were enough little spoons to go around.
"The first is Béchamel. It's the simplest; you don't need to prepare anything ahead of time. You only need milk, flour, and butter to start. The butter and flour cooked together make a roux, which thickens the milk. Then herbs and spices are added; salt and pepper, often clove or perhaps onion. Many creamy or cheesy sauces start with Béchamel.
"Next is Velouté. Also fairly simple; instead of milk, you use some a stock, which is generally prepared ahead of time. It can be poultry, veal, fish, or any other meat which makes a light stock. Then you thicken that with the same sort of roux. Mushroom sauce and many seafood sauces are made from this.
"Espagnole is a brown sauce. A little more complex. It begins the same as the velouté, but with a darker stock, such as beef. Tomato puree and vegetables are also added. Again, some mushroom sauces use this, and also some wine-based sauces. It's often cooked together with stock to make a demi-glace which is used in other sauces.
"The fourth is Hollandaise. It has only two basic ingredients - clarified butter and egg yolks. Herbs and lemon are often added. It is a permanent emulsion; the butter and eggs would not normally mix, like oil and vinegar. But when combined correctly, the sauce will not separate. There are a number of other sauces that use this as a base, but it's not uncommon to see it used on its own, either, particularly on vegetables.
"The last of these is tomato sauce. Which is not, generally speaking, what you'll find on a pizza," he noted wryly. Vegetables are sautéed, traditionally in pork fat, then added to tomatoes, stock, and perhaps some further bones or meat, and it's cooked in the oven. Traditionally it's also thickened with a roux, although the tomatoes are often enough of a thickening agent.
"Today we'll be working through as many of these as you're able. I suggest you attempt them in this order; I'd rather you made a good béchamel than five lumpy sauces and burnt pots."
"Now that you've learned a bit about employing different types of cookware, you should be able to start with a few sauces. In classic Western cuisine, there are five sauces which are referred to as 'mother sauces'; this is because each of them can be used as a base for many other sauces, so once you learn each of them, you've mastered a good deal more than just one sauce."
He had five dishes in front of him, and indicated them in turn; there were enough little spoons to go around.
"The first is Béchamel. It's the simplest; you don't need to prepare anything ahead of time. You only need milk, flour, and butter to start. The butter and flour cooked together make a roux, which thickens the milk. Then herbs and spices are added; salt and pepper, often clove or perhaps onion. Many creamy or cheesy sauces start with Béchamel.
"Next is Velouté. Also fairly simple; instead of milk, you use some a stock, which is generally prepared ahead of time. It can be poultry, veal, fish, or any other meat which makes a light stock. Then you thicken that with the same sort of roux. Mushroom sauce and many seafood sauces are made from this.
"Espagnole is a brown sauce. A little more complex. It begins the same as the velouté, but with a darker stock, such as beef. Tomato puree and vegetables are also added. Again, some mushroom sauces use this, and also some wine-based sauces. It's often cooked together with stock to make a demi-glace which is used in other sauces.
"The fourth is Hollandaise. It has only two basic ingredients - clarified butter and egg yolks. Herbs and lemon are often added. It is a permanent emulsion; the butter and eggs would not normally mix, like oil and vinegar. But when combined correctly, the sauce will not separate. There are a number of other sauces that use this as a base, but it's not uncommon to see it used on its own, either, particularly on vegetables.
"The last of these is tomato sauce. Which is not, generally speaking, what you'll find on a pizza," he noted wryly. Vegetables are sautéed, traditionally in pork fat, then added to tomatoes, stock, and perhaps some further bones or meat, and it's cooked in the oven. Traditionally it's also thickened with a roux, although the tomatoes are often enough of a thickening agent.
"Today we'll be working through as many of these as you're able. I suggest you attempt them in this order; I'd rather you made a good béchamel than five lumpy sauces and burnt pots."
Make your own sauce
Re: Make your own sauce
Of course, leave a roux unattended for too long led to it burning, sigh.
Re: Make your own sauce
Re: Make your own sauce
She paused and looked harder at Rilla. "Are...are you okay?" She's heard Rilla's name on the radio once or twice, but she didn't really pay attention.
Re: Make your own sauce
Re: Make your own sauce
Re: Make your own sauce
Re: Make your own sauce
Re: Make your own sauce
Of course, it'd probably turn out halfway decent but at least Flick had some moderate focus back and was giving it a go.
Re: Make your own sauce
Re: Make your own sauce
She still set out to make Béchamel with her usual level of enthusiasm and optimism.
Re: Make your own sauce
Re: Make your own sauce
She also flashed Hannibal a brief 'everything's fine' smile. Because that helped, sure.
Re: Make your own sauce