An inevitable and recognizable feature of modern cuisine is undoubtedly the abundance of sauces, the number of which is measured by hundreds. However, whether we walk about béarnaise or cheddar cheese sauce, all of them stem from the five fundamental sauces, flatteringly referred to as “mother sauces”.
Although French sauces date back to Middle Ages, it wasn’t until the 19th century that they were systemized by Marie-Antoine Carême, one of the most influential French chefs of his time, who determined four grand sauces: sauce espagnole, sauce velouté, sauce allemande and béchamel sauce, out of which a great number of small sauces (sauces petites) could be derived. Nevertheless, the person who takes the credit for the five contemporary mother sauces is Auguste Escoffier, who redefined Carême’s list in the early 20th century, leaving out sauce allemande considering it a ‘daughter’ sauce of sauce velouté, and adding sauce hollandaise and tomato sauce, thus establishing the final list of five essential sauces, still in use nowadays. The mother sauces list comprises the following:
Béchamel sauce – a very well-known and in Serbian cuisine commonly consumed sauce made of flour, butter, and milk. The mixture of flour and butter is called roux in French, and is used for thickening different sauces, dressings and chowders. A famous French joke says that all French recipes begin with: “Make a roux…” The French usually sprinkle béchamel with a bit of salt and pepper, while the Italians for example add a pinch of ground nutmeg.
Sauce Espagnole (Spanish sauce) – a sauce of a rather strong flavor, made of veal soup and dark roux, commonly prepared with vegetable oil. Although it is rarely served on its own, the significance of this sauce is in its derivetives, such as demi-glace, or sauce champignon.
Sauce Velouté (Velvet sauce) – this is a velvety mix of roux blonde and chicken or fish soup, and is therefore the ideal addition to chicken or fish dishes. It is important that the bones the soup is made from should not be roasted, so that the light color of the sauce is maintained.
Tomatos auce – without doubt the most popular sauce worldwide. As its name suggests, the very basis of this sauce is tomato, seasoned with the widest range of herbs – from oregano and basil, to garlic and onion, cayenne and coriander. It is most commonly served with pasta, but also with rice, fish, as well as all kinds of meat.
Sauce Hollandaise – a fine sauce with the base of egg yolk, butter, and lemon juice. It gained its popularity with Eggs Benedict , one of the most popular breakfast dishes in the USA and Europe. It is definitely the most demanding to prepare, so you’ll be able to try the perfect hollandaise only at high-end restaurants with master chefs.
Voulez-Vous prides itself on its chef’s mastery, and is warmly inviting you to make sure for yourselves. Enjoy the rich flavor of Beef Steak Hollandaise, or pick something else of Voulez-Vous menu abounding in dishes with mentioned mother sauces or their numerous variations.
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