How to mix a saucy roux

Waimarino Bulletin, Volume 4, Issue 7, 15 July 1986, Page 7

How to mix a saucy roux

Our resident chef Pablo continues his series this week with suggestions on fillings for the pastry cases which he described two weeks ago. At present Pablo's Mexican nights are proving popular at Ohakune's Cafe Stua.

The many faces of the white sauce is amazing. You thought Eve had a problem! There are more ways to make white sauce, than to skin a cat. Every chef has his own idiosyncratic method of concocting the magic brew. A fellow chef drops a pound of butter into the stock, mixes flour and water together, and much to my surprise a smooth sauce develops. Auguste Escoffier, the great French chef said: "the preparation of sauces requires a great deal of care. One must not forget in fact, that is is through the subtlety by which our sauces are constructed that the French cuisine, enjoys such a worldwide supremacy." Escoffier's thoughts on sauces are somewhat dated as regarding French cuisine but the method used by the French is still the best. Mind you, since we all don't have professional kitchens we have to adapt some of the ingredients. Even so, the classic mother sauce, the "Veloute", is a good filling for your bouchees, pastry cases, which I described in my first column. The base of the veloute sauce is a plain white stock which is nicknamed "a blond roux." This is not some glamorous girl from the south of France, but a lightly cooked butter and flour mix used as a thickener. Your stock requires onions, chicken bones, thyme, cloves, celery bottoms, carrot trimmings, bay leaves and some grog (white wine). This lightly coloured stock can be on its way, most of the time, with variations according to what is around. Other animal bones can replace the chicken or just lots of vegetables for the vegetarian. Strain the liquid off and set it aside while you make your roux. To make the roux chop

onion, bacon or whatever you think yummy and cook in butter. Then add flour, about half and half with butter, enough to thicken the liquid you have. There should be about five parts stock to one part roux. To make it more interesting, you can bind it with egg yolks and add liquor of your choice. Hopefully, at a one for the chef and one to the sauce! A classic combination is to add sauted chicken and mushrooms to the sauce. plus a dollop of brandy and cream. Once the sauce has perfect texture pour over the previously heated vol-a-vent, or bouchee pastry cases. For smaller cases, you have to be careful not to spill the goods over the sides. A vegetable combination. sweetbreads, mushrooms or pork are all interesting titbits to fill your pastry cases. These are additions to your basic sauce.