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Bechamel and beyond.

post #1 of 16
7/30/04 at 12:40pm
Thread Starter 
The discussion in regards to the proper technique of preparing sauce Bechamel got me thinking about other sauces.

I know we have talked about sauces many times on Cheftalk, but why not talk about some of our favorite sauces to prepare, how we prepare them, and what we use them with.

One of my favorite sauces to make in the Fall is " Sauce Grand Veneur" which is a Poivrade sauce made with game stock and finished with reduced cream and a touch of currant jelly. I serve this sauce with assorted types of game meats and birds. It's deep, rich flavor ties beautifully with the richness of the game, while the bit of sweetness from the currants balances the game meats.
Baruch ben Rueven / Chanaבראד, ילד של ריימונד והאלאן
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post #2 of 16
7/30/04 at 2:18pm
Well, this isn't a traditional sauce but I love a spicy coconut sauce with jumbo shrimp.

Sometimes I use half heavy cream and half coconut milk (sometimes all coconut milk) reduce, add some peanut butter, fish sauce, as much hot pepper sauce as you can stand, a little coconut extract, unsweetened grated coconut, lime zest, cumin, sea salt, pepper, etc.

I parboil the shrimp separately (deveined and shelled), drain and toss them in the sauce for a minute to finish cooking then serve.

Cilantro makes a nice garnish.

And sugar! I forgot the sweet part! :D
It is always Necessary to Leave Some Part of Cooking to Improvisation.
- Paul Bocuse
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post #3 of 16
7/30/04 at 7:05pm
Sauce! Great topic CC, but you didn't specify hot or cold! I'll throw mine in.

I like a Cumberland sauce. It's not commonly used these days because the art of cold food seems to have fallen in the toilet. Very good with cold meats, pates, confits, and such. I like to peel the skin off the lemons and oranges by hand, remove the white part and then julienne the zest very fine. Use a fine porto (be sure to taste first) and some homemade blackberry jam. Try it this holiday season with your turkey instead of the usual cranberry sauce. Very good!
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post #4 of 16
7/30/04 at 7:56pm
Warmed I bet that would go nicely with duck or foie gras.
It is always Necessary to Leave Some Part of Cooking to Improvisation.
- Paul Bocuse
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post #5 of 16
7/30/04 at 10:04pm
Well, I'm probably not as experienced as most but one I make alot is a sweet and sour sauce - Lemon juice, a little tomato paste for colour and texture, some chicken stock, honey for sweetness (also add some wine if I have any available). I simmer for quite a bit until it's reduced to a thick consistency (or you can cheat with a roux). Usually serve with chicken. Or I'll make it as part of a lemon chicken recipe - brown the chicken pieces, then slow cook in the juices, remove chicken after a few hours, finish sauce...
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post #6 of 16
7/31/04 at 11:10am
Mike that sounds great. What color does it turn out? Slightly orangy/red?
It is always Necessary to Leave Some Part of Cooking to Improvisation.
- Paul Bocuse
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post #7 of 16
7/31/04 at 11:39am
Yeah, red/orange. Can also use a can of lemonade for a simpler version - just lemonade and a little tomato paste.
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post #8 of 16
7/31/04 at 12:50pm
Very cool. I'll remember that. I've been wanting to do a simple version of a sweet and sour sauce and didn't think of tomato paste. Thanks :)
It is always Necessary to Leave Some Part of Cooking to Improvisation.
- Paul Bocuse
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post #9 of 16
7/31/04 at 3:00pm
Thread Starter 
Kuan, I also enjoy Cumberland sauce. When I was in Garde Manger class years ago and we studied Charcuterie, Cumberland sauce was also taught.

Many times I would roast a saddle of venison, glaze it with Cumberland sauce, make a compote of ficelle pears, and garnish with more cumberland sauce.
Baruch ben Rueven / Chanaבראד, ילד של ריימונד והאלאן
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post #10 of 16
8/1/04 at 6:45am
Though I have a lot of sauces that I really like, one of my favorite is a little used sauce, Sauce Charcutiere. It is a Sauce Robert (a demi sauce with the addition of sauteed onions, white wine, vinegar and mustard) that has julienned Cornichons added to it. I like to use it with pork dishes, smoked meats, or some game.
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post #11 of 16
8/2/04 at 6:47pm
If cold is in than I shall add the most prolific of dipping sauces for cold shrimp, the cocktail sauce.
Ketchup,horseradish,lemon juice,tobasco, worcestershire sauce,ground black pepper and some finely minced green onion(the green parts just after the white ends) and thats it. Good presentaion and great flavor.
Ok, this thread is great so who is next?Doug...........
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post #12 of 16
8/2/04 at 7:04pm
well, one of mine is Pesto Di Genovese , the basilleaves , roasted pinekernels,
freshley grated reggiano,garlic,olive oil . and its so divers to use,
so simple,so ..divine :)
sauce Grand Veneur is definitly one of the greater ones
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post #13 of 16
8/3/04 at 5:04am
Another sauce I like making is "orange" sauce as in Duck a l'orange. It's actually a technically demanding sauce to make on the fly because it entails making a caramel first, and then try to do it quick! OK, maybe you can make a batch of it ahead of time. :)

This is a great sauce to test your newbie culinary grads when they come on the line. <evil look> ;) I bet most people would fail French cuisine if they had to do this sauce on their exam!

Incidently, this sauce has been adopted by many cultures. In Hong Kong, for example, you can order "orange beef." It's basically a steak, sauteed in a wok, sliced up and dressed with this sauce. Minus the duck stock of course. It's great!

Kuan
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post #14 of 16
8/3/04 at 6:33am
Thread Starter 
As you know Kuan, this technique of sauce making is called a "Gastrique" in which you rapidly reduce sugar to caramel then deglaze with equal amounts of an acid (usually vinegar) to form your base of "sweet and sour" My final practicals in Regional French entail making a gastrique sauce to serve with magret du canards. These are juniors, so they may well know how to prepare this type of sauce if a chefs challenges them :)
Baruch ben Rueven / Chanaבראד, ילד של ריימונד והאלאן
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post #15 of 16
8/3/04 at 8:20am
Well, for a cold dipper, I've been doing a delish mango sambal...

Finely chopped mango, orange marmalade, orange-champagne vinegar, walnut oil, chili sauce, fish sauce, chile pepper flakes, sugar, chives, salt pepper.

It is wonderful with seared scallops!
It is always Necessary to Leave Some Part of Cooking to Improvisation.
- Paul Bocuse
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post #16 of 16
8/3/04 at 4:49pm
There goes CC, raising the bar again! Good job! Such a classic sauce, it's great if done well. I can't wait, 20 years from now, I'll be reading in some foodie magazine where one of your students mentions that he learned the classics from you! :)
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