How to make the mother sauces | The five classical sauces

butter

🥗Healthier: olive oil

💰Cheaper: margarine

Olive oil reduces saturated fat while adding flavor.

cream

🥗Healthier: Greek yogurt

💰Cheaper: milk + cornstarch

Greek yogurt reduces calories while maintaining creaminess.

egg yolks

🥗Healthier: aquafaba

💰Cheaper: flaxseed meal + water

Aquafaba mimics egg yolks in emulsification.

stock

🥗Healthier: vegetable broth

💰Cheaper: water + bouillon cubes

Vegetable broth provides flavor without meat.

Start by introducing the five classical mother sauces: espanol, velouté, tomato sauce, béchamel, and hollandaise.

For espanol sauce, gather 3 cups of beef stock, Italian flat leaf parsley, bay leaves, thyme, black peppercorns, 2 ounces of clarified unsalted butter, white flour, diced celery, diced carrots, diced onions, and tomato paste.

Heat a saucepan over medium heat and add the clarified butter until it starts to bubble.

Add the mirepoix (diced celery, carrots, and onions) to the pan and sauté until the onions become translucent.

Once the onions are translucent, add the white flour to the pan to create a roux, stirring continuously until it turns golden brown.

Pour in the beef stock and stir to combine, ensuring there are no clumps from the roux.

Add about 2 tablespoons of tomato paste to the mixture for flavor and color.

Bring the mixture to a simmer and let it reduce for about 45 minutes to an hour until it reduces by half.

Strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer into a bowl to remove solid materials, leaving just the sauce.

For béchamel, render fat from thick cut bacon in a skillet over medium-high heat, then remove the bacon and leave the fat in the pan.

Add unsalted butter to the bacon fat and let it melt.

Once melted, add white flour to the pan and stir to create a roux.

Gradually whisk in milk, stirring continuously until the sauce thickens to your desired consistency.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level:

Allergens