 |
|
| General Cooking (rec.food.cooking) For general food and cooking discussion. Foods of all kinds, food procurement, cooking methods and techniques, eating, etc. |
| Reply |
|
|
LinkBack | Thread Tools | Display Modes |
|
|
|||
|
|||
Can't thicken an oil/butter seafood sauce!!!
I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with the
following in it: Olive Oil Butter Lemon Juice Wine I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first was pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put in the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. Fred |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
|
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
"Fred" > wrote in message
m... > I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with the > following in it: > > Olive Oil > Butter > Lemon Juice > Wine > > I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first was > pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked > roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put in > the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a > very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. > > Fred I think it's a mistake to even try to thicken such a sauce. Why would you want to? It should cling nicely to high quality, properly cooked pasta. Try the traditional Italian method of draining the pasta and adding it to the sauce, letting it sit for a moment or two before serving so the pasta can absorb some sauce. -- Peter Aitken Remove the crap from my email address before using. |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
"Fred" > wrote in message
m... > I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with the > following in it: > > Olive Oil > Butter > Lemon Juice > Wine > > I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first was > pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked > roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put in > the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a > very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. > > Fred I think it's a mistake to even try to thicken such a sauce. Why would you want to? It should cling nicely to high quality, properly cooked pasta. Try the traditional Italian method of draining the pasta and adding it to the sauce, letting it sit for a moment or two before serving so the pasta can absorb some sauce. -- Peter Aitken Remove the crap from my email address before using. |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
"Peter Aitken" > wrote in message
m... > "Fred" > wrote in message > m... >> I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with >> the >> following in it: >> >> Olive Oil >> Butter >> Lemon Juice >> Wine >> >> I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first >> was >> pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked >> roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put >> in >> the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a >> very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. >> Any >> ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. >> >> Fred > > I think it's a mistake to even try to thicken such a sauce. Why > would you > want to? It should cling nicely to high quality, properly cooked > pasta. Try > the traditional Italian method of draining the pasta and adding it > to the > sauce, letting it sit for a moment or two before serving so the > pasta can > absorb some sauce. I agree with this post. That is a basic sauce that should mix quite well with pasta. The other posters were also correct - if you want a thicker sauce, start with a roux, then add liquids (seafood stock perhaps?). But I would imagine that the ingredients you've provided below should result in an excellent sauce for pasta. -- "Life is hard. Life is harder when you're stupid". - John Wayne "Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed" - Mao Zedong '99 FLHRCI Remove 74 before replying. > |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
"Peter Aitken" > wrote in message
m... > "Fred" > wrote in message > m... >> I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with >> the >> following in it: >> >> Olive Oil >> Butter >> Lemon Juice >> Wine >> >> I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first >> was >> pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked >> roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put >> in >> the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a >> very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. >> Any >> ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. >> >> Fred > > I think it's a mistake to even try to thicken such a sauce. Why > would you > want to? It should cling nicely to high quality, properly cooked > pasta. Try > the traditional Italian method of draining the pasta and adding it > to the > sauce, letting it sit for a moment or two before serving so the > pasta can > absorb some sauce. I agree with this post. That is a basic sauce that should mix quite well with pasta. The other posters were also correct - if you want a thicker sauce, start with a roux, then add liquids (seafood stock perhaps?). But I would imagine that the ingredients you've provided below should result in an excellent sauce for pasta. -- "Life is hard. Life is harder when you're stupid". - John Wayne "Politics is war without bloodshed while war is politics with bloodshed" - Mao Zedong '99 FLHRCI Remove 74 before replying. > |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
Peter Aitken wrote:
> "Fred" > wrote in message > m... >> I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with the >> following in it: >> >> Olive Oil >> Butter >> Lemon Juice >> Wine >> >> I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first >> was pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a >> cooked >> roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put >> in the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a >> very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any >> ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. >> >> Fred > > I think it's a mistake to even try to thicken such a sauce. Why would > you want to? It should cling nicely to high quality, properly cooked > pasta. I didn't see mention of pasta in the original post. The subject says it's a seafood sauce. From that I assumed it was to be put on seafood, but perhaps I misinterpreted. Jill |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
"jmcquown" > wrote in message
... > Peter Aitken wrote: > > "Fred" > wrote in message > > m... > >> I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with the > >> following in it: > >> > >> Olive Oil > >> Butter > >> Lemon Juice > >> Wine > >> > >> I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first > >> was pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a > >> cooked > >> roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put > >> in the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a > >> very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > >> ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. > >> > >> Fred > > > > I think it's a mistake to even try to thicken such a sauce. Why would > > you want to? It should cling nicely to high quality, properly cooked > > pasta. > > I didn't see mention of pasta in the original post. The subject says it's a > seafood sauce. From that I assumed it was to be put on seafood, but perhaps > I misinterpreted. > > Jill > > You may well be right - I inferred something that was not there. Even so, I think that the sauce would be OK as-is, without thickening. -- Peter Aitken Remove the crap from my email address before using. |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
"Fred" > wrote in message m... > I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with the > following in it: > > Olive Oil > Butter > Lemon Juice > Wine > > I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first was > pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked > roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put in > the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a > very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. > > Fred If it were me, I'd make a reduction with the lemon and wine, then whisk in pats of cold butter to thicken, and skip the oil. kimberly |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
Fred wrote:
> I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with the > following in it: > > Olive Oil > Butter > Lemon Juice > Wine > > I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first was > pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked > roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put in > the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a > very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. I assume that your intent is to put this on some seafood. This isn't a sauce and you can't thicken it by adding starch in any form without it binding. Roux and slurries require appropriate ratios of fat to starch to water-based liquid, and if this is remotely like I think it is, you're not in the same universe with those numbers. You're better off making an emulsion (temporary or permanent) and using that. Try a beurre blanc. You'll have to lose most of the oil if you do. Or add a bit of dry mustard to this and whip it furiously. An egg yolk (the lecithin will help with the emulsion and give a better succulence to it). Or deal with it like a vinaigrette knowing that after you shake it and whisk it or blend it or whatever, it'll separate later. Pastorio |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
Fred wrote:
> I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with the > following in it: > > Olive Oil > Butter > Lemon Juice > Wine > > I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first was > pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked > roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put in > the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a > very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. I assume that your intent is to put this on some seafood. This isn't a sauce and you can't thicken it by adding starch in any form without it binding. Roux and slurries require appropriate ratios of fat to starch to water-based liquid, and if this is remotely like I think it is, you're not in the same universe with those numbers. You're better off making an emulsion (temporary or permanent) and using that. Try a beurre blanc. You'll have to lose most of the oil if you do. Or add a bit of dry mustard to this and whip it furiously. An egg yolk (the lecithin will help with the emulsion and give a better succulence to it). Or deal with it like a vinaigrette knowing that after you shake it and whisk it or blend it or whatever, it'll separate later. Pastorio |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
Fred wrote:
> I'm sure I'm going about this all wrong, but I have a sauce with the > following in it: > > Olive Oil > Butter > Lemon Juice > Wine > > I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first was > pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked > roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put in > the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a > very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. I assume that your intent is to put this on some seafood. This isn't a sauce and you can't thicken it by adding starch in any form without it binding. Roux and slurries require appropriate ratios of fat to starch to water-based liquid, and if this is remotely like I think it is, you're not in the same universe with those numbers. You're better off making an emulsion (temporary or permanent) and using that. Try a beurre blanc. You'll have to lose most of the oil if you do. Or add a bit of dry mustard to this and whip it furiously. An egg yolk (the lecithin will help with the emulsion and give a better succulence to it). Or deal with it like a vinaigrette knowing that after you shake it and whisk it or blend it or whatever, it'll separate later. Pastorio |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
On 2004-11-30, Fred > wrote:
> very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. Nexis pretty much nailed it. But, you fail to give us anything to grab onto. What is the seafood? How is it cooked? Is it poached, baked, broiled, fried? Judging by the oil ingredient, I suspect pan fried. Anyway, you want to take the essence and/or juices of the cooked seafood, i.e. poaching liquid, pan scrappings, etc, add some wine to it to get the pan scrappings loosened up. After you get the scrappings moving and grooving, add some aromatics/herbs like garlic, shallots, tarragon, etc, and add to the sauce. Now, turn up the heat a bit and let the whole thing reduce to a thin syrupy consistency. When you reached the desired consistency, take it off the burner and toss a couple/three pats of cold butter into the pan and agitate the pan till the butter is melted. Adjust S&P. Serve immediately. This is about as thick as you'd want to serve on seafood. Anything thicker is sludge and only useful in casseroles. nb |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
On 2004-11-30, Fred > wrote:
> very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. Nexis pretty much nailed it. But, you fail to give us anything to grab onto. What is the seafood? How is it cooked? Is it poached, baked, broiled, fried? Judging by the oil ingredient, I suspect pan fried. Anyway, you want to take the essence and/or juices of the cooked seafood, i.e. poaching liquid, pan scrappings, etc, add some wine to it to get the pan scrappings loosened up. After you get the scrappings moving and grooving, add some aromatics/herbs like garlic, shallots, tarragon, etc, and add to the sauce. Now, turn up the heat a bit and let the whole thing reduce to a thin syrupy consistency. When you reached the desired consistency, take it off the burner and toss a couple/three pats of cold butter into the pan and agitate the pan till the butter is melted. Adjust S&P. Serve immediately. This is about as thick as you'd want to serve on seafood. Anything thicker is sludge and only useful in casseroles. nb |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
Fred wrote:
> I tried 2 different times to thicken it different ways. The first was > pouring in a corn starch slurry, and the second was adding a cooked > roux with butter and flour. No matter what I do, the instant I put in > the thickener, it appears to bind with the fat and leave me with a > very lumpy mess, with clarified butter separated from the lumps. Any > ideas what I am doing wrong? Thanks. It's supposed to bind with the fat. You need to get the fat emulsified into your sauce. I think you need two things, more non-oil liquid and an agressive hand with the whisk. Try some meat or vegetable broth, even plain water. Then whisk the heck out of it to get those lumps blended. Dawn |
|
|
|||
|
|||
|
Thanks! What great ideas. Typically my "seafood" is shrimp or
scallops. And yes, I do love it on pasta. This gives me at least 2 things I want to try right away and being Italian I like the method of tossing in with the pasta and let it absorb. I've been through Alton Brown and Harold McGee, but I still have to go back and find the right reference for some of the chemistry. Fred |
| Reply |
| Thread Tools | Search this Thread |
| Display Modes | |
|
|
Similar Threads
|
||||
| Thread | Forum | |||
| a simple seafood sauce for the imbecile known as bobo | General Cooking | |||
| REC: Seafood sauce | General Cooking | |||
| Cream and Butter Sauce (aka Alfredo Sauce) with garlic shrimp | General Cooking | |||
| Does anyone have any good and spicy seafood sauce recipe? | Asian Cooking | |||
| Seafood Cakes With Creamed Tomato, Herb And Garlic Sauce | Recipes | |||
Linear Mode
