Session 9 Cooking Class Handout

Mission Viejo Stake Cooking Class

Session #9:  Savory Sauces

Using white flour for more than just baking.

Alana Kirkham

The basic roux is classical French cooking and it's purpose is thickening. The roux itself is intended to be almost tasteless.  You add the flavors that you need to achieve the final product that you desire.  The possibilities are endless!

A roux is a mixture of equal parts of lipids (oil, shortening, butter, or fat renderings) and flour. The roux mixture is cooked at least three to five minutes over low heat to remove the raw flavor of the flour, then the liquid is added which thickens into the gravy or sauce. The liquid used can be a strong broth, milk or heavy cream, depending on how rich and decadent you want the finished product.  The roux method is least likely to produce a lumpy product. 

The "take-away-point" here is a one-to-one mixture of lipids and flour, thoroughly combined and lightly cooked is a roux. Add some liquid and you have a sauce. Easy.

To make a Roux Gravy:

The basic formula is 2 tablespoons fat, 2 tablespoons flour, and 1 cup of liquid to equal 1 cup of gravy. 

After cooking meat or poultry, judge the amount of fat or oil remaining in the pan drippings. This is the most crucial part of a roux gravy. Determine how much gravy you need. You will need to adjust the fat or oil amount up or down to suit your needs according to the basic formula. 

Remove fat from the pan and if you don't have enough, add butter or shortening. Stir an equal amount of flour into the hot lipids and cook on low, being careful not to burn.  Add corresponding ratio of liquid (broth from the pan drippings or mixed) slowly to the roux while whisking. It should immediately begin to thicken. Bring to a simmer while stirring to avoid lumps. Adjust seasonings. At this point you can continue cooking the gravy to make it as thick as you desire. 

If it needs thinning, just add a little more broth. If using drippings, unless your meat was highly seasoned, you will generally need to add salt and pepper before finishing. As a general rule, one-half teaspoon of salt will be needed for each cup of liquid, but taste first. Also keep in mind that the gravy will thicken upon standing, so resist the urge to speed up your gravy by adding additional flour.

Easy Brown Gravy

2 cups broth (or pan drippings) beef, chicken, or turkey

2 tbsp butter

2 tbsp peanut (or other flavorful) oil

4 tbsp flour

1/8 tsp garlic powder

1/8 tsp onion powder

1/8 tsp white pepper

salt, to taste

Heat broth, or use hot pan drippings.  In a medium skillet, melt butter with peanut oil, add flour, and slowly brown to a dark golden brown (you need to keep an eye on this as it may brown too quickly).  Slowly add broth, stirring constantly with a whisk.  Add spices, cook slowly, stirring often, for 20 minutes.   The cooking time is very important. Flour will have a bitter taste if not completely cooked. This is worth the time.  If gravy is too thick, it can be thinned with broth to desired consistency.

Bechamel: Basic White Sauce

Melt 4 tablespoons of butter over medium-low heat in a saucepan until bubbly and stirring frequently to avoid burning.  When butter is melted add 4 tablespoons of all-purpose flour and whisk to combine thoroughly.  Cook on low heat for a few minutes, but do not allow to brown.

Meanwhile, warm two cups of milk in a sauce pan on medium heat.  Be careful not to scorch or bring to a boil.  Whisk in half of the milk, and as it begins thickening, the other half. Increase heat to high medium and continue cooking, whisking frequently, until it begins to bubble.  Season with salt and pepper.

Mornay Sauce is the most common variation on Bechamel.  Mornay sauce includes cheese. It could be cheddar (for use in mac-n-cheese), Parmesan and Romano (for Alfredo sauce), or Gruyere (for basic cheese soufflé or veggie sauce). Depending on the cheese, you need one - two cups of finely shredded cheese.  For stronger flavor, add a teaspoon of dried mustard, ½ cup of prepared pesto, or perhaps a splash of Tobasco sauce or Worcestershire sauce. Some fresh herbs, like parsley, oregano, and basil work well, too.

Basic Cheese Sauce

2 TBSP Butter

2 TBSP Flour

1 cup milk

1 cup cheddar** cheese finely grated

salt to taste

(optional) pepper

(optional) dry mustard

** You can substitute any other cheese to create a completely different sauce flavor.

Alfredo Sauce

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup cream (or half and half or milk)
1 cup chicken broth
1 cup shredded Italian cheeses (Mozzarella and Romano)
1/2 cup Parmesano Reggiano cheese (or plain Parmesan)
3 tablespoons fresh or 1-2 tablespoons dried parsley or basil
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
salt and pepper

Melt butter and add flour. Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly to cook flour. Add cream and broth all at once and blend well. Add the remaining ingredients and stir until cheese has melted and sauce is smooth and thick.

Tips for cooking with cheese…

When cooking with cheese, there are just a few important points to keep in mind:

·         The less you heat cheese, the better. When making soup, sauce, or fondue, add the cheese last; then heat it only long enough to melt. Don't let it boil or it will become tough and curdled. Often, you can remove the pan from the burner; the residual heat will melt the cheese.

·         Shred, crumble, or finely dice the cheese before heating to ensure quick, smooth melting. (Remember that it's much easier to shred or dice cheese when it's cold.)

·         Allow the shredded cheese to come to room temperature before adding it to a hot mixture.

·         Starch (such as all-purpose flour, cornstarch, or potato flour) will keep the cheese from curdling. If using all-purpose flour, add it to the mixture before the cheese; it needs to be cooked for a few minutes to remove the starchy taste.

·         Adding an acidic ingredient such as wine or lemon juice will help prevent the cheese from becoming stringy. This is why most fondues have a base of white wine. Simply sprinkle some lemon juice over the shredded cheese before heating it.

·         Reduced-fat cheeses have different melting characteristics than regular cheeses. They will take longer to melt and will be tougher. Be sure to shred reduced-fat cheese very finely, and allow it to melt over very low heat while stirring constantly.