A Little More History on Saucing

I love sauce and have to have it with pretty much everything I eat. I found some interesting history that you may enjoy.

Ancient Greek Cooking
The Greek dietetic system was closely linked to Greek medicine. It has had a powerful influence on both Western European and Middle Eastern cooking. Unfortunately, no complete copies of Greek cookbooks survive today. Much of what we know about Ancient Greek cooking is found in the writings of Archestrate. He focused on freshness of foods rather that preparation. The cooking methods that he mentioned were usually simple and direct – usually frying or roasting. If a sauce was used it would usually contain small amounts cheese, oil and cumin. He warned against preparation by a Sicilian or and Italian, who will “ruin it with too much cheese, vinegar or brine.”

Ancient Roman Cooking
Much of our knowledge of Roman cooking comes from Marcus Gavius Apicius who lived in the first century A.D. His style of cooking was a direct result of his geographical location and climate. He used, in abundance, a liquid mixture based on fish entrails called garum. The closest modern equivalent would be the fish sauces of Southeast Asian Cooking. Honey was also used quite often along with cumin, cilantro, lovage, dill, bay and caraway. Wine and vinegar were staples, however, the wines were usually spiced and combined with honey.

Cooking in the Middle Ages
The Crusades had a profound impact on cooking in the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth centuries. Crusaders would return home with exotic spices and techniques to use on their meats. An important ingredient came about in the Middle Ages called Verjuice. It is the unsweetened juice of grapes and sometimes crab apples. It was used extensively when cooking liquid was called for. In later times, influenced by Middle Eastern cooking, orange and lemon juice was used. When thickened sauces were desired, bread or almonds were the most common used ingredients. Liver was also a popular choice.

The Seventeenth Century
French cooking began to distinguish itself from that of the rest of Europe, developing criteria that are much of the same as those today. The most important point made in sauce making was the notion that food should taste of itself. Spices that disguised natural flavors were gradually abandoned. Sauces began to concentrate and emphasize the flavor of a particular dish rather than distort it. A couple of big differences from the Middle Ages are the use of more root vegetables in sauce making and the use of butter. As far as the root vegetables go, they began to use carrots, celery, shallots, mushrooms and truffles in more sand more of their saucing. Butter was now being used to saute vegetables and finishing sauces. Prior to then, lard was the prominent fat of the Middle Ages.  Another important innovation was the introduction of roux. Toasted bread was the thickener of choice before.

The Mother of All Sauces

A sauce is a liquid accompaniment to food, enhancing and complimenting the dish with which it is served.

During the early periods of culinary history, a sauce basically covered the unpleasant odors and flavors due to the lack of refrigeration. Now sauces are considered the ultimate refinement to cookery.

The French cuisine has been credited for bringing saucing to perfection.

Sauces are categorized into groups stemming from the “Mother Sauces.”

An easy way to remember the “Mother Sauces” is this acronym.

Mrs. BETH V.
B – Bechamel Sauce
E – Espagnole Sauce
T – Tomato
H – Hollandaise
V – Veloute

Bechamel (Bay-shu-mel) Sauce
Is a white sauce made with milk and white roux. It is often seasoned with salt and pepper & nutmeg and onion. Some popular sauces derived from this mother are Mornay Sauce (addition of Gruyere Cheese) and Sausage Gravy.

Espagnole (Es-pan-yole) Sauce
Is a dark brown sauce made with beef stock that is clarified, reduced and thickened with dark roux. It has a satiny texture. Some popular sauces derived from Espagnole are Demi Glace (Reduced beef stock with reduced Espagnole Sauce) and Bordelaise Sauce (addition of reduced red wine, shallots and occasionally beef marrow).

Tomato Sauce
Is made with fresh tomatoes, tomato juice, onions and garlic. This is pretty much you classic Italian Marinara. A derivative would be Sauce Bolognese (addition of ground beef, mirepoix, basil and red wine).

Hollandaise Sauce
Is considered a emulsified sauce. That means that you combine oil and water. Hollandaise Sauce consists of egg yolks, clarified butter, lemon juice and seasonings. Some variations include Bearnaise Sauce (addition of reduced white wine, shallots and tarragon) and Mousseline Sauce (equal parts whipped cream and Hollandaise Sauce).

Veloute (Vel-oo-tay) Sauce
Is a light sauce made like Espagnole Sauce except it uses blonde roux and a light colored stock. Some derivatives are Supreme (addition of heavy cream) and Bercy Sauce (addition of butter, shallots, reduced white wine, reduced fish stock, parsley and salt and pepper).

Thickening Agents

1. Roux (Roo)- White, Pale (Blonde) and Brown.

A mix of flour and fat in a proportion of 60% flour and 40% fat.  Clarified butter is the typical fat used, but other fats without moisture work as well.  Roux is cooked on low heat, to allow the starch to swell and absorb the fat.

Thickening Power of Roux -

White Roux – 100%
Blonde Roux – 80%
Brown Roux – 50%

Amount of White Roux Needed to Thicken 1 Gallon of Sauce -

For a light consistency – 8-10 ounces of Roux
For a medium consistency – 12-14 ounces of Roux
For a thick and heavy consistency – 16-20 ounces of Roux

The thickening effect of Roux is possible because of the ability of starch to bind 5 times its weight in liquid

Hot Roux is added to Cold Liquids
Cold Roux is added to Hot Liquids

Starch is heavier that water, and if not stirred will sink to the bottom of the pot and burn.  Keep Roux in suspension.  The thickening will start at approximately 100 degrees F. and be fully gelatinized at 180 degrees F.

2.  Cornstarch

Mixed with liquid to the consistency of heavy cream before being added to boiling liquid to be thickened.  It has 3 times the thickening power of flour.  Cornstarch will break down if the product is kept for a longer period of time.  It does not give the velvety smoothness of a Roux.

Stocks

Stocks are very versatile and can be kept frozen for later use. The method is simple, however, it takes some time. A stock’s base is almost always a bone or shell of an animal. Vegetable stock has its uses but it is not as flavorful as animal based stocks.

The primary ingredients of a stock are: bones, water, mirepoix (meer-u-pwah), and aromatics. The bones add flavor and body to the stock. Bones can also be roasted to add additional flavor and color. A mirepoix is a vegetable mix containing 50% onions, 25% carrots and 25% celery. For example, if you need 1 pound of mirepoix you would use 1/2 pound onions, 1/4 pound carrots and 1/4 pound celery. The aromatics are usually a sachet. A sachet is a cheesecloth pouch of parsley, thyme and peppercorns. Tie it with a long string so you can tie it to the pot and remove it easily.

Method for a White Stock – You can use veal, beef, chicken or fish.

1.Add you bones to a large stockpot.
2.Top with the mirepoix.
3.Cover everything with water about 3 inches above all product.
4.Tie the sachet to the side and submerge.
5.Bring it to a simmer and hold at a small simmer.

Be sure to start with cold water and make sure to skim the foam that builds on top.

Method for a Brown Stock – Use veal, beef or chicken.

1.Place bones in an even layer on a roasting pan and cook until golden brown.
2.Place the roasted bones in a large stock pot.
3.Place the mirepoix in the roasting pan cook until golden brown.
4.Add the mirepoix to the stock pot.
5.Pour off the fat and deglaze the roasting pan with water to get all of the roasted bits from the pan then pour into the stock pot.
6.Cover with water and add the sachet.
7.Bring to a simmer and hold.

A delicious stock will take about 8 hours to cook. Be sure to add water as it evaporates.

Straining – Use a colander with a piece of moistened cheesecloth and strain into a container.

You may want to cool the stock in an ice bath, making sure to stir often.

The collagen in the bones will turn into gelatin and give you stock body. You will notice this when you have strained and chilled your stock, prior to freezing it.

Hey Everyone,

It has been pretty wild at the Doolin House and 2Chefs Catering recently and that is why I have not posted anything in a while. I will have some more information up next Wednesday. For now, we have taped Chef Eduardo demonstrating a citrus supreme. Just peel your fresh fruit and make cuts into the fruit just to the center. Use the ribs as guides and cut next to them. Make sure you do this over a bowl to catch all of the delicious juice.

Also, if you see Allison, make sure you congratulate her on her “Telly.” It is a regional Emmy award for Informational Television. We ran a cooking show on KET a while back (I think it is still running).

Cooking Methods – A General Discussion

As we progress through the cooking course, I will mention that you need to saute this or braise that.  That being said, we will go over quite a few different cooking techniques and their applications.  Let’s get cookin’.

#1  Braising

This could be my favorite technique in all of cookery.  You take something that is a little less desirable and turn it into a succulent masterpiece.  Braising is generally used for tougher cuts of meat and older animals.  It is a good idea to use something with some marbling like a bottom round or chuck roast.  The most important thing about braising is breaking down connective tissue so you don’t need to worry about internal temperatures.  If you are braising a leaner meat you would want it to be larded or barded.

Larding – Pieces of fat inserted throughout the meat.  You could use bacon or pork fat and nowadays studding a roast with garlic confit has been done.

Barding - Barding means wrapping the piece of meat in fat.  This could be done with caul fat or bacon again.  It is used to baste the meat and prevent it from drying out.

Method:  The meat is seasoned generously with salt and pepper and seared at high heat until a dark crust is achieved and then removed from the pan.  The type of pan used is a “Rondeau” or “Braiser.”  These are fairly large, heavy bottomed pans with 6-inch tall sides.  After the meat is removed, vegetables are added and browned.  Then some type of tomato product is added to the mix.  Flour is dusted over the entire mix to produce a “roux.”  An appropriate stock or liquid is added and brought to a boil.  The meat is added back to the sauce, covered with a tight fitting lid and placed in a moderate oven to “braise.”

Dry and Moist Cooking:  Braising is a dry/moist type of cooking where the meat is submerged only halfway in the sauce.  Therefore, occasional turning of the meat needs to occur or the meat will dry out on the top.

Checking for Doneness:  The doneness is determined by inserting a fork into the meat.  If it goes it and out easily then the meat is cooked.  This is called “Fork Tender.”

#2 Roasting

Roasting is a dry heat method of cooking.  Generally a piece of meat is arranged on a trivet or rack above a shallow sided pan.  The roast is cooked to the desired temperature using a moderate amount of heat.  You may use a piece of meat that has been marinated or you may simply just season with salt and pepper.

There are two ways of roasting.

1. High Heat – This method is done above 400 degrees.  The roast will form a thick crust and will cook unevenly, thus making it difficult to carve and yield a low amount of usable roast.
2. Low Heat – This method is done between 250 and 300 degrees.  The roast is cooked slower, therefore, you will need to check it less, it will have less shrinkage, it will cook evenly, there will be less clean up, and there will be a more tender and flavorful crust.

Internal Temperatures for Roasting and Carry Over Cooking

Beef, Lamb, Veal, Bison

Rare – 120 degrees

Medium-Rare – 130 degrees

Medium – 140 degrees

Medium Well – 150 degrees

Well – 160

Poultry

Chicken – 165 degrees

Turkey – 165 degrees

Carry Over Cooking- When roasting, the meat will continue to cook even after it has been removed from the oven.  The internal temperature may raise as much as 15 degrees.  It is best to remove the meat when it is 10 degrees prior to the desired degree of doneness.

#3 Sauteing

Saute is a French verb meaning “to jump or leap.”  A shallow pan is used for sauteing because it allows moisture to escape.  If moisture becomes trapped in the pan it will cause the food to steam, therefore, there will be no browning and the meat will become tough.  There are two types of pans that can be used to saute.

A sauteuse (sau-tuse) is a shallow pan with sloping sides.  The shape allows the cook to toss the food efficiently.

A sautoir (sau-twawr) is a shallow pan with straight sides.  This type of pan is helpful when sauteing thin slices of meat and chicken.

The main characteristic of this method is that it is a dry method of cooking (meaning  there is an absence of moisture/liquid).  The following are required for a proper saute.  A hot pan with a small amount of fat; thin tender food with excess moisture blotted off; the correct size pan for the amount that will be sauteed; and all items that are to be cooked are prepared to go in the pan (the French term is mise en place, or everything in  its place).  Be sure not to over crowd the pan.  Remember that when the food is cooked and removed from the pan the remnants are prime candidates for a delicious sauce.  You can deglaze the pan with a liquid, add aromatics, thickeners or other seasonings.  We will get into the bulk of this later on.

#4 Pan-Frying

Pan-frying and saute are similar techniques in that the foods are cooked in fat in shallow, wide pans.  From then on they differ.  The food to be cooked is thicker and more fat is used.  A lower heat and longer cooking time are involved to cook the food through.  You would also coat the food in flour, batter, or similar coating.  A sauce is not derived from the remnants of the pan.  Always be sure to have absorbent paper to drain the finished products on.

#5 Boiling, Simmering and Poaching

Water Temperatures

140 degrees – Minute bubbles appear on the sides and bottom of the pan

150 degrees – Same as above with an increase in bubbles

160 degrees – Bubble begin to increase in size (Poaching Speed)

180 degrees – Increased size in bubbles and a large quantity of the bubbles coming to the surface

190 degrees – Increase in large bubble quantity (Simmering Speed)

200 degrees – Very rapid dispersion of bubbles and agitation around the sides of the pot

212 degrees – Rapid Rolling Boil (Boiling Speed)

Above 212 degrees – Adding salt with increase the temperature at which water boils

There are two types of poaching.  Shallow poaching and Submerge poaching.  Both have quite specific applications.

Shallow

1. Less liquid is used
2. Smaller cuts of poulty, meat or fish are used
3. A sauce is made from the poaching liquid.
4. Poaching is generally done in the oven
5. The garnish may be included during the cooking.
6. The pan is covered with a parchment paper cover.

Submerge

1. The meat is fully covered in liquid.
2. Larger cuts can be poached
3. The poaching liquid is not used for a sauce.  A separately derived sauce is used.
4. Cooking is done on the stove top
5. The garnish is cooked separately and added just before serving
6. The pan is not covered

Chefs Cooking School

Week #1 Introduction to Cooking – Knife Skills

My name is Charles W Sobieck.  I am the Chef/Owner of 2Chefs Catering, Inc. & The Doolin House Inn in Somerset, Kentucky.  I attended The University of Central Oklahoma for a semester and came to the conclusion that I wanted to be a cook.  I sought out several Culinary Schools in the country, but I ended at Sullivan University in Louisville, Kentucky.  While attending I met my wife, Allison Hahn.  We were married in May of 2002 and moved to Somerset in the Spring of 2003.  We started 2Chefs Catering, Inc. when we arrived in town.

I have worked with many talented chefs and learned a lot.  I can attest that everything you read on this page is factual and has been researched.  We have many clients that are passionate about cooking and I don’t take that lightly.  I always strive to educate the dining public because it makes both preparing and eating, a joy.  Please enjoy the instruction and videos and do not hesitate to ask a question or comment.

Outline of Month #1 – Intro to Cooking

1st week – Knife Skills

2nd week – Cooking Methods

3rd week – Stocks and Mother Sauces

4th week – Meat Basics

5th week – Veggies Basics

Week 1 Lesson:  Knife Skills

The most important tool in the kitchen is the chefs knife. A high quality chefs knife is irreplaceable in the kitchen.  It can be employed to dice, slice, smash, pit, juice, eviscerate or chop pretty much anything you would cook.  If you don’t already own a chefs knife, make it a priority to purchase one and use it every day.

Knife Anatomy

The following rules concerning knife care, use and storage should be adhered to.

1. Handle Knives with Respect.
2. Keep Knives Sharp.
3. Keep Knives Clean.
4. Use an Appropriate Cutting Surface.
5. Keep Knives Properly Stored.

Knife Sharpening and Honing

I would encourage the use of a double sided sharpening stone.  There is generally a coarse and a medium side.  On some fancy tri-stones you get those two grains along with a fine one.  A lot of professional kitchens will have these two types of stones.

When you are ready to sharpen your new beauty you will need four items.  Your knife, a sharpening stone, a honing steel and a dry towel.  Let’s Begin!

1. Arrange the sharpening stone (on a moistened piece of paper towel to keep it from sliding) if front of you.
2. Hold your knife as if you were to chop something.
3. Starting with the heel of the knife, place the blade on the stone at a 20 degree angle.
4. Using your other hand to maintain a constant light pressure, draw the blade across the stone gently.
5. Draw the blade off the the stone smoothly, turn the knife over and repeat the process.
6. Repeat this process five times, flip the stone over and repeat five more times.

After you have sharpened the blade it is time to hone it.  All you are doing is straightening the blade.  This job is completed with your honing steel.

Now it is time to do some chopping.  Knife cuts are tremendously important for a number of reasons.  First off, if you have uneven cuts your food will be in varied states of doneness.  Remember to take your time and make sure that all of your cuts are even.  Secondly, it is important for the aesthetics of the dish.  There is nothing more pleasing or beautiful than looking at a perfectly sliced vegetable gratin.  Here are some knife cuts and their dimensions.

1. Fine Julienne – 1/16″ X 1/16″ X 2 Inches Long
2. Regular Julienne – 1/6″ X 1/6″ X 2 Inches Long
3. Batonnet (Bat-o-nay) – 1/4″ X 1/4″ X 2 Inches Long.  This is the classic french fry cut.
4. Fine Brunoise (Broon-waa) – 1/16″ Perfect Cube
5. Regular Brunoise – 1/6″ Perfect Cube
6. Small Dice – 1/4″ Perfect Cube
7. Medium Dice – 1/2″ Perfect Cube
8. Large Dice – 3/4″ Perfect Cube
9. Paysanne – 1/2″ X 1/2″ X 1/4″ Thick
10. Chiffonade – A fine shred.  Used for leafy vegetables and herbs.

The most important thing to do is practice.  A cheap and delicious way to do that is with a large Russet potato.  After practicing, you can take all of the diced potatoes and trimmings and make mashed potatoes.  Here is a short video on knife cut technique.  Pay close attention to how the chef holds his knife comfortably in his hand and curls his fingers under to minimize the risk of cuts.

Note from the video:  You may square off the ends of the potato if you desire a peel free product.

Now, be sure to always be practicing your knife cuts and remember, practice makes perfect!