Okay, I'm an amateur cook, trying to expand my horizons. Recently
discovered gravies and sauces. Tried a Veloute' tonight, just the basic
version (make a roux from butter and flour, and chicken stock and simmer,
salt and pepper to taste), and it goes good with a pan fried chicken and
rice. But I'm interested in experimenting.

Can I take the same base, except instead of adding chicken stock add a 25/75
blend of lemon juice and water, to be used on a fish, tilapia?

How about a the basic roux mixed with melted chocolate and simmered to form
a chocolate sauce? Maybe with some rapsberries for bonus?

Where else can I take this basic recipe? My wife wants a moroccan style
sauce with paprika, cumin, and so forth.

Any comments or suggestions are welcome. I'm just trying to figure things
out, here...

On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 20:10:01 -0600, "Matthew Givens"
> wrote:

>Okay, I'm an amateur cook, trying to expand my horizons. Recently
>discovered gravies and sauces. Tried a Veloute' tonight, just the basic
>version (make a roux from butter and flour, and chicken stock and simmer,
>salt and pepper to taste), and it goes good with a pan fried chicken and
>rice. But I'm interested in experimenting.
>
>Can I take the same base, except instead of adding chicken stock add a 25/75
>blend of lemon juice and water, to be used on a fish, tilapia?

I'd try lemon juice and white wine with the roux. Maybe a fish stock,
too.
>
>How about a the basic roux mixed with melted chocolate and simmered to form
>a chocolate sauce? Maybe with some rapsberries for bonus?

Not likely to be a good mix. A roux is best in savory sauces in my
opinion.
>
>Where else can I take this basic recipe? My wife wants a moroccan style
>sauce with paprika, cumin, and so forth.
>
>Any comments or suggestions are welcome. I'm just trying to figure things
>out, here...
>
What you might do is experiment with darker versions of roux. In
Cajun cooking, one cooks a roux dark -- mohagony dark, chocolate dark.
This imparts a rich nutty flavor to the sauce/gravy. It's important
to watch out for burning, though. Burned roux is bitter and useless.

Me? I've embarked on making a jack-version of demi glace. Tomorrow
will tell.


modom

"Dallas is a rich man with a death wish in his eyes."
-- Jimmie Dale Gilmore

Matthew Givens wrote:

> Okay, I'm an amateur cook, trying to expand my horizons. Recently
> discovered gravies and sauces. Tried a Veloute' tonight, just the basi=
c
> version (make a roux from butter and flour, and chicken stock and simme=
r,
> salt and pepper to taste), and it goes good with a pan fried chicken an=
d
> rice. But I'm interested in experimenting.

I suppose you could, but it seems a waster to do pan fried chicken to get=
a nice
crispy coating and then dump sauce on it.

> Can I take the same base, except instead of adding chicken stock add a =
25/75
> blend of lemon juice and water, to be used on a fish, tilapia?

I have poached scallops, shrimps and other seafood and used the stock wat=
er to
flavour the sauce. It worked great for seafood souffl=E9 and Coquille
St.Jacques. You can add mushrooms to make a Bonne Femme sauce that goes =
nicely
with fish. You can use milk (or broth) to make the sauce and then Chedda=
r,
Mozzarella and Parmesan for a 3 cheese Penne, or just cheddar (or whateve=
r) for
macaroni and cheese.

"Matthew Givens" > wrote in message
...

> How about a the basic roux mixed with melted chocolate and simmered to
> form
> a chocolate sauce? Maybe with some rapsberries for bonus?

I can understand how you'd think that would work because of the utility and
versatility of the roux/liquid sauce, but using a roux for a dessert sauce
isn't, in my experience, standard.

One good chocolate sauce is to heat about 1/2 cup of heavy cream and add
about 8 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate. You can flavor the hot cream first
with cognac or another liquor.

If you want to thicken a fresh berry or fruit sauce, use a little corn
starch mixed with hot liquid. Mix in and simmer until the sauce is thick. I
have to emphasize the "little" part. Use 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch and say 1
tablespoon hot liquid per 2 cups of sauce.

"Matthew Givens" > wrote in message
...
> Okay, I'm an amateur cook, trying to expand my horizons. Recently
> discovered gravies and sauces. Tried a Veloute' tonight, just the basic
> version (make a roux from butter and flour, and chicken stock and simmer,
> salt and pepper to taste), and it goes good with a pan fried chicken and
> rice. But I'm interested in experimenting.
>
> Can I take the same base, except instead of adding chicken stock add a
> 25/75
> blend of lemon juice and water, to be used on a fish, tilapia?
>

Roux isn't a base. It is a thickener that can be cooked (before adding to
sauces) to vary the flavor and color. For more delicate sauces try a
thickener like cornstarch or a "liaison" (egg yolk with cream). Roux tends
to have a heaviness that is great for adding body to a stock base but has
drawbacks in many other applications.

Try a citrus beurre blanc using white wine or a lemon caper sauce. Both
variations without roux thickening.

http://frenchfood.about.com/cs/fc101/a/beurreblanc.htm

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=beurre+%2Bblanc

http://www.google.com/search?sourcei...sauce%2Bmaking

Many fast pan sauces start with the meat drippings and flavor bits, freed
from the pan by pouring a bit of wine or vinegar immediately after the meat
is removed.

"zuuum" > wrote in message
news:QhqAd.11850$tG3.5006@trnddc02...

> Many fast pan sauces start with the meat drippings and flavor bits, freed
> from the pan by pouring a bit of wine or vinegar immediately after the
> meat is removed.
>

Well, I decided I should try this just to make sure my post was ok... After
pouring myself several glasses of burgundy, I noticed the flavors were still
stuck to the pan... until I poured the wine INTO the pan while it was still
very hot. You probably figured that out.. but after a litre of wine I was
not sure it was obvious. LOL

Dave Smith wrote:

> it seems a waster to do pan fried chicken to get a nice crispy coating and
> then dump sauce on it.

I strongly disagree; I think fried chicken with well-peppered milk gravy is
VERY good. Same thing with chicken-fried steak; I don't think it would be
NEARLY as good without the gravy.

Bob

Matthew Givens wrote:

>Okay, I'm an amateur cook, trying to expand my horizons. Recently
>discovered gravies and sauces. Tried a Veloute' tonight, just the basic
>version (make a roux from butter and flour, and chicken stock and simmer,
>salt and pepper to taste), and it goes good with a pan fried chicken and
>rice. But I'm interested in experimenting.
>
>Can I take the same base, except instead of adding chicken stock add a 25/75
>blend of lemon juice and water, to be used on a fish, tilapia?
>
>How about a the basic roux mixed with melted chocolate and simmered to form
>a chocolate sauce? Maybe with some rapsberries for bonus?
>
>Where else can I take this basic recipe? My wife wants a moroccan style
>sauce with paprika, cumin, and so forth.
>
>Any comments or suggestions are welcome. I'm just trying to figure things
>out, here...
>
>
>
>
>
I say go for it....experiment....push the envelope. Some might say my
kitchen is a constant experiment. Despite my mother's warnings, I've
been "playing with my food" for 30+ years. I've had some disasters, but
have learned more from experimenting than from all the reading,
watching, and listening combined.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure, or you wanna cook?

Matthew Givens wrote:

>Okay, I'm an amateur cook, trying to expand my horizons. Recently
>discovered gravies and sauces. Tried a Veloute' tonight, just the basic
>version (make a roux from butter and flour, and chicken stock and simmer,
>salt and pepper to taste), and it goes good with a pan fried chicken and
>rice. But I'm interested in experimenting.
>
>Can I take the same base, except instead of adding chicken stock add a 25/75
>blend of lemon juice and water, to be used on a fish, tilapia?
>
>How about a the basic roux mixed with melted chocolate and simmered to form
>a chocolate sauce? Maybe with some rapsberries for bonus?
>
>Where else can I take this basic recipe? My wife wants a moroccan style
>sauce with paprika, cumin, and so forth.
>
>Any comments or suggestions are welcome. I'm just trying to figure things
>out, here...
>
>
>
>
>
I say go for it....experiment....push the envelope. Some might say my
kitchen is a constant experiment. Despite my mother's warnings, I've
been "playing with my food" for 30+ years. I've had some disasters, but
have learned more from experimenting than from all the reading,
watching, and listening combined.

Bubba

--
You wanna measure, or you wanna cook?