Sauce, Part 2: The Five Mother Sauces
Back to sauces. The five mother sauces traditionally used in French cooking are listed below, together with some of their most common derivatives. They are based on Carême’s original system, although this is a relatively modern interpretation.
My primary sources are Harold McGee’s On Food and Cooking and Auguste Escoffier’s Le Guide Culinaire, for anyone who would like to read more.
Brown sauce, or espagnole
Made with brown beef stock, brown roux and tomatoes.
| Bordelaise | Red wine and shallots |
| Diable | White wine, shallots and cayenne pepper |
| Lyonnaise | White wine and onions |
| Madeira | Madeira |
| Périgueux | Madeira and truffles |
| Piquante | White wine, vinegar, gherkins and capers |
| Poivrade | Vinegar and peppercorns |
| Red wine sauce | Red wine |
| Robert | White wine, onions and mustard |
Velouté
Made with a light chicken or fish stock and a pale roux.
| Allemande | Egg yolk and mushrooms |
| White Bordelaise | White wine and shallots |
| Ravigote | White wine and vinegar |
| Suprême | Chicken stock, cream and butter |
Béchamel
Made with milk and a pale roux.
| Crème | Cream |
| Mornay | Cheese and fish or chicken stock |
| Soubise | Onion purée |
Hollandaise
Made with butter, egg and lemon juice or vinegar.
| Mousseline | Whipped cream |
| Béarnaise | White wine, vinegar, shallots and tarragon |
Mayonnaise
Made with oil, egg and vinegar or lemon juice.
| Rémoulade | Gherkins, capers, mustard and anchovies |
That is all for this instalment.
Tore