mother sauces
French cooking bases
Mother sauces are the five foundational sauces in classical French cooking from which most other sauces derive: béchamel (white sauce from milk and roux), velouté (stock-based), espagnole (brown sauce), hollandaise (emulsified butter and egg), and tomato.
Mastering these provides the basis for hundreds of derivative sauces.
Once you know your mother sauces, you can improvise almost anything.
Concentrated French brown sauce
- rouxCooked fat-flour paste
- stockGoods kept for sale
- mirepoixFrench aromatic vegetable base
- reductionMaking something smaller
braising · carrots · onions · celery · bay leaves · thyme · peppercorns · simmering
Goods kept for sale
- rouxCooked fat-flour paste
- butterSolid fat from cream
- flourMilled grain powder
- lightVisible electromagnetic radiation
creamy · velvety · whisking · simmering · liaison · French cuisine · delicate · blonde
Cooked fat-flour paste
- milkMammalian nursing fluid
- butterSolid fat from cream
- flourMilled grain powder
- nutmegAromatic seed spice
cream · whisk · simmer · mornay · gratin · lasagna · macaroni and cheese · croque-monsieur
Blended immiscible liquids
- egg yolksEggs' nutrient-dense cores
- clarified butterFat with solids removed
- lemon juicePressed citrus liquid
- cayennePungent red spice
double boiler · whisking · béarnaise · asparagus · silky · creamy · warm · acidic
Seasoned tomato sauce
- pomodoroItalian word for tomato
- arrabbiataSpicy Italian tomato sauce
- passataStrained, uncooked tomato base
- basilFragrant culinary leaf
oregano · garlic · Italian cuisine · pasta · pizza · ragu · parmigiana · San Marzano
demi-glace
Concentrated French brown sauce
reduction · braising · carrots · onions · celery · bay leaves · thyme · peppercorns · simmering · bordelaise
stock
Goods kept for sale
light · creamy · velvety · whisking · simmering · liaison · French cuisine · delicate · blonde · silky
roux
Cooked fat-flour paste
nutmeg · cream · whisk · simmer · mornay · gratin · lasagna · macaroni and cheese · croque-monsieur · cauliflower cheese
emulsion
Blended immiscible liquids
- egg yolksEggs' nutrient-dense cores
- clarified butterFat with solids removed
- lemon juicePressed citrus liquid
cayenne · double boiler · whisking · béarnaise · asparagus · silky · creamy · warm · acidic · richness
marinara
Seasoned tomato sauce
- pomodoroItalian word for tomato
- arrabbiataSpicy Italian tomato sauce
- passataStrained, uncooked tomato base
basil · oregano · garlic · Italian cuisine · pasta · pizza · ragu · parmigiana · San Marzano · simmering
- culinary artsflavor, aroma, seasoning, roasting, presentation
- French cuisinebaguette, croissant, coq au vin, crepe suzette, croissants
- rouxflour, fat, bechamel, veloute, espagnole
- Cooking Basicsknife skills, mise en place, seasoning, measuring, timing