Basic Velouté and Browns Sauces

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.