La Cuisine Classique

January 24, 2009

Béchamel Sauce

Filed under: Ingredients, Recipes, Sauces and Dips — Tags: , , — La Cuisine Classique @ 4:31 am

Ingredients:
8 Tablespoons unsalted sweet butter
6 Tablespoons flour
1 Quart milk

How to do it:
Melt the butter over medium heat and add the flour. Cook for 6-7 minutes stirring constantly until the roux is a blond color.

Heat the milk in a separate pan until it’s nearly boiling. Add the hot milk one cup at a time to the roux, whisking constantly. Bring to a boil. Cook for 10 minutes whisking constantly. Remove from heat and set aside until ready for use.

July 18, 2008

Yogurt Cucumber Sauce

Filed under: Recipes, Sauces and Dips, Vegetables — Tags: , , , — La Cuisine Classique @ 5:40 am

Ingredients:

  • 16 fluid ounces plain yogurt
  • 1 lb cucumbers, peeled, seeded, small dice
  • 1 tablespoon minced garlic
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
  • Salt and ground pepper to taste
  • How to do it:
    1. Place the yogurt in a cheesecloth-lined strainer or coffee filter. Set the strainer in a bowl and drain for at least 8 hours in the refrigerator.

    2. Combine the yogurt and cucumbers.

    3. Add the garlic, cumin, turmeric, salt and pepper.

    4. The sauce can be served chunky or pureed until smooth. It is ready to serve now, or it may be refrigerated for later use. Stir the sauce and adjust seasoning if necessary before serving.

    Yield: 32 fluid ounces

    Cocktail Sauce

    Filed under: Fish, Recipes, Sauces and Dips — Tags: , , , , — La Cuisine Classique @ 5:32 am

    Ingredients:

  • 12 fluid ounces chili sauce
  • 14 fluid ounces ketchup
  • 1 fluid ounce lemon juice
  • 1 ounce sugar
  • 2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 1 /12 teaspoons prepared horseradish
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • How to do it:
    Combine all the ingredients and mix thoroughly.

    The cocktail sauce is ready to serve now, or it may be refrigerated for later use. Stir the sauce and adjust the seasoning before serving.

    Yield: 32 fluid ounces

    July 15, 2008

    Béarnaise Sauce

    Filed under: Eggs, Recipes, Sauces and Dips — Tags: , , , , , , , — La Cuisine Classique @ 4:32 am

    Ingredients:

  • 3 sticks lightly salted butter
  • 1/2 cup tarragon wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup dry vermouth
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced green onions
  • 2 tablespoons finely minced parsley
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1 tablespoon minced fresh tarragon
  • 2 teaspoons dried chervil
  • 10 cracked peppercorns
  • 7 egg yolks
  • 3 teaspoons warm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 2 tablespoons chopped chives (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons chopped parsley (optional)
  • 6 thin slices butter, room temperature
  • How to do it:
    In a saucepan, melt butter, clarify and set aside. In a separate saucepan, combine vinegar, vermouth, green onions, parsley, tarragon, chervil, and peppercorns. Over high heat, reduce this liquid until it barely covers the bottom of the pan. Cool the mixture by setting the pan in cold water before adding the eggs. In a heavy saucepan, not over heat, place egg yolks, water and cooled reduced vinegar mixture, beating with a wire whisk until frothy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Place over low heat and continue beating vigorously several minutes longer. The pan should be removed from the heat often during this process to ensure slow cooking. Beat constantly until it is the consistency of a thick cream sauce.

    Remove the pan from the fire, and while continuing to beat, slowly add clarified butter to the mixture a tablespoon at a time until all the butter is used. Add salt, parsley or chives, while beating in well. If mixture curdles, add 1 tablespoon cold water and beat vigorously. To prevent scum from forming on the top, cover the sauce with 6 thin slices of butter and place on top of the stove near the pilot light or place in a double boiler over lukewarm water. You may add a tablespoon of warm water and beat again before serving.

    Yield: 2 cups

    Béarnaise Sauce

    Filed under: Recipes, Sauces and Dips — Tags: , , , , — La Cuisine Classique @ 4:21 am

    Béarnaise Sauce is very rich sauce that can be served on chicken, seafood, veal, beef or pork. It’s also excellent on eggs.

    Ingredients:

  • 1 pound unsalted butter
  • 6 tablespoons margarine
  • 3 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons white wine
  • 1 teaspoon dried tarragon leaves
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
  • How to do it:
    Melt the butter and margarine in a 1-quart saucepan over low heat. Increase the heat and bring to a rapid boil. Remove from heat and cool for 5 minutes. Skim the froth from the top of the butter and discard. Pour the butter into a large glass measuring cup and set aside.

    In a separate 1-quart saucepan, combine 3 tablespoons of the wine, the tarragon, salt and pepper. Cook over high heat until most of the liquid had evaporated, about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Let cool for 5 minutes.

    In a medium size stainless steel mixing bowl, combine the remaining 2 teaspoons wine, the cooled tarragon mixture, and the remaining ingredients except the butter. Mix together with a metal whisk until frothy, about 1 minutes.

    Place the bowl over a pan of slowly simmering (NOT boiling) water. Do not allow the bowl to touch the water. Vigorously whisk the egg mixture, picking up the bowl frequently to let steam escape. Whip until the egg mixture is very light and creamy and has a sheen, about 5 to 7 minutes. This beating allows the cooked egg to hold the butter. Remove the bowl from the pan of hot water. Gradually ladle about 1/4 cup of the butter mixture (use the top butterfat, not the solids from the bottom) into the egg mixture while vigorously whipping the sauce. Make sure the butter is well mixed into the sauce before adding more. Continue gradually adding the butterfat until you’ve added about 1 cup.

    Ladle out and reserve about 1/2 cup of the surface butterfat in a separate container to expose the butter solids. The butter solids will add flavor and thin the sauce. Gradually ladle all but 1/3 cup of the butter solids into the sauce, whisking well. Then gradually whisk enough of the reserved top butterfat to produce a thick sauce. The butterfat thickens the sauce, so you may not need to use all of it. Keep the sauce in a warm place until ready to serve.

    Yield: 2 cups

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