Basic Velouté and Browns Sauces

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Basic Velouté and Basic Brown Sauce are cousins to Basic White Sauce. Their preparation is identical to that for White Sauce, although they depend for their flavor on a highly clarified and concentrated chicken or beef stock instead of milk. Like Basic White Sauce, Basic Velouté begins with a blond roux. For Basic Brown Sauce, the roux is browned slightly to lend a darker hue and a nut-like flavor. Hence, it is often called a dark roux.


BASIC VELOUTÉ SAUCE

¼ cup butter
½ cup flour
6 cups clarified Basic Chicken Stock
¼ cup sauterne

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan; blend in the flour gradually. Cook and stir for several minutes until smooth. Add stock gradually, stirring until smooth. Simmer over medium heat for about 1 hour, stirring frequently until reduced by 1/3. Sauce should be consistency of heavy cream. Add sauterne. Strain through a fine sieve.


BASIC BROWN SAUCE

To the dark roux and beef stock, add a vegetable and herb blend known as “mirepoix”. You will discover the “mirepoix” is more than worth your time to prepare. It tremendously enriches the Basic Brown Sauce.


Basic Brown Sauce:

2 Tbsp butter
¼ cup flour
4 cups Basic Beef Stock
1 cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup Mirepoix (recipe follows)

Melt the butter in a small saucepan; blend in the flour to make a smooth paste. Cook and stir over low heat until mixture is browned. Add the stock gradually, stirring constantly, until smooth. Add the tomatoes; simmer for 3 minutes. Add Mirepoix and simmer until sauce is reduced by half, stirring occasionally. Strain sauce through a fine sieve and serve immediately.


MIREPOIX

2 tsp butter
2 tsp cooking oil
1 medium carrot, coarsely grated
1 medium onion, coarsely grated
1 stalk of celery, finely chopped
1/8 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf, crushed
2 Tbsp sherry

Melt the butter in a small heavy saucepan, then add the oil. Add carrot, onion and celery; sauté until soft. Add the remaining ingredients; simmer until vegetables are tender. Yield: 1 cup.