SAVVY SAUCES and GRAVIES-PART I THE BASICS

Every cuisine lists gravies and sauces in two separate categories, just as languages give them diverse names, but some confusion persists as to their definitive difference because, in fact, they are very similar. Both are pourable used to enhance various solid foods, flavored with the same herbs and spices, created using the same ingredients by the same process. 

The difference is simply that gravy is made from a meat stock, pan drippings, boiled meat and/or bones. Sauce is based on any other liquid, juice, milk, wine etc.  This explains why Italians always say “Tomato gravy” not tomato sauce. The dish is made from boiling the whole tomato, not just the rendered juice. (Although it also raises the question of why it’s called “Apple Sauce” not ‘Apple Gravy’.)

In my book Savvy Sauces and Gravies, I explain that both dishes are made using either flour or cornstarch as a thickener by creating a slurry or a roux. Personally, I’ve found cornstarch yields a clearer product. A SLURRY is made by dissolving a measured amount of thickener in a measured amount of cold liquid which is then poured into a specific amount of hot liquid to be thickened. The whole is maintained at a low boil, stirring constantly, until desired thickness is achieved-usually about 3 mins. 

A ROUX is usually made with flour rather than cornstarch.  A measured amount of butter or margarine is heated to foam then a measured amount of thickener is stirred in off heat, to make a smooth paste. Quickly add a measured amount of cold liquid, whisking to avoid lumps. This can then be added to a main body of a dish and stirred as above to desired consistency. It can also be made into a sauce itself by heating to a simmer and stirring constantly until thick enough, about 3 min.

Slurries are more often used for making gravies and thickening stews and soups because the fat from the meat is sufficient to make the final product smooth. If not, a pat of butter is a recommendation before serving. Roux incorporates the fat in the base, making it better for silky sauces. However, both methods can be regulated to yield dishes of various thicknesses from thin to very thick.  The basic formulas are:

SLURRY: A few simple rules for making one:
    1) The dissolving fluid should be room temperature and at least twice the amount of the thickener–
        for example 1 Tbs. flour to 2 Tbs. liquid
    2) Be sure the powdered thickener is fully dissolved
    3) Remember to include the amount of dissolving fluid in the total amount to be thickened when
    calculating the quantity of thickening powder needed.
    4) For stews, gravies. soups etc. the base liquid should be skimmed of as much fat as possible or the
        end product can become heavy, glue-like and separate. Cooling the liquid before adding the
        slurry, if time allows, lets the fat congeal and be easily skimmed. This aids the incorporation
        of the slurry reducing the chance of lumping.
    5) Return to the heat, bring to a low boil and stir until thick as wanted, about 3 min.

            PROPORTIONS:
            THIN: 1 Tbs. flour or ½ Tbs. cornstarch per 1 cup liquid= Soup
            *MEDIUM: 2 Tbs. flour or 1 Tbs. cornstarch per 1 cup liquid = Gravies, Casseroles, Stews, Gratins
                                        sauces
            THICK: 3 Tbs. flour or 1 ½ Tbs. cornstarch per 1 cup liquid=Soufflés, accompanying dessert sauces

ROUX: Rules for the Basic White Sauce-Also known as Béchamel Sauce * or Basic White Sauce   
          1) Be sure the butter or margarine are foaming. Then remove from heat at once.
          2) The blending of fat and thickener must be a smooth paste
          3) The liquid should be room temperature or below when added to the paste. Add it all at once
                and whisk or stir vigorously to make sure it’s all incorporated before heating it to avoid lumps.
            4) Stir constantly until it reaches a simmer and achieves desired thickness, about 3 min

                PROPORTIONS:
                  THIN: 1 Tbs. flour or ½ Tbs. cornstarch + 1 Tbs.  butter per 1 cup liquid = Soups

                  *MEDIUM:  2 Tbs. flour or 1 Tbs. cornstarch +2 Tbs. butter per 1 cup liquid =Stews, Gravies,
                                            Gratins, Sauces
                  THICK: 4 Tbs. flour or 2 Tbs. cornstarch + 4 Tbs. butter per 1 ½ cup liquid = Soufflés,
                                            accompanying dessert sauces
* Denotes most frequently used consistency with the most cook friendly variations.
          TIP: 1 Tbs. = 3 tsp.

EXAMPLES:
MY CUCUMBER BISQUE; Serves 4 for dinner-6 for luncheon (Thin Slurry)
4 or 5 large cucumbers—peeled, seeded and roughly sliced
Chicken broth to cover- about 1 qt. with 1 cup reserved
Salt and pepper- to taste if needed
Sour Cream
Paprika
Chopped chives
2 Tbs. Flour
Boil the cucumber in the broth until very soft-about 20 mins.  Make a slurry of the reserved broth and flour. Add to the pot at the end of cooking and boil for 3 mins.  Blend the soup to a smooth consistency. Correct seasonings-but remember cucumber is a very delicate flavor. Chill. Serve in bowls topped with a dollop of sour cream a sprinkling of paprika and chopped chives.

MY CAULIFLOWER AU GRATIN: Serves 4 to 6 (Medium Roux)
1 large head of cauliflower – leaves trimmed off and par-boiled
3 Tbs. flour
3 Tbs. butter
1 ½ cups milk
Garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste-sparingly
¼ cup grated cheddar cheese
½ cup grated Parmesan
Paprika
Place the cauliflower in an oven proof serving dish. Make a roux of the butter, flour and milk then cook into a white sauce adding the garlic, salt and pepper. As it finishes add the cheddar cheese until it melts. Correct seasonings, and pour over the cauliflower. Cover with the grated Parmesan, and sprinkle with Paprika, Bake in a pre-heated 350 deg. oven 30 to 40 min. or until golden and bubbling. Serve at once.

GRAVY is the narrower field with fewer variations. Basically, gravy is created in two ways, by boiling the meat in a liquid, usually water or from the pan drippings of roasting meat.  Both types of gravy are made using a slurry. Thickened gravies often look a bit pale and need a bit of a boost to appear “well roasted.”  European cuisine uses tomato paste to get the right browned appearance. There are also several color additives on the market. Gravy Master is a favorite, but I prefer Kitchen Bouquet because it is totally flavorless. However, Soy Sauce is an option in place of salt as is Teriyaki Sauce if the flavor could use some help. Incidentally a touch of a complimentary vinegar can really pop flavor, especially in soup.

SAUCES on the other hand exist in infinite variety and are extremely versatile. A working knowledge of their basics is a real asset in the kitchen. Many sauces are familiar to us and regularly used; melted butter can be a sauce, but so are mayonnaise, pancake syrup and dessert toppings. Sauces range from the simple to the complex, yet often encountering the word on a menu conveys sophistication. This is the secret charm of sauces. They can be taken for granted or add instant glamour to the ordinary. They can dress up a dish, moisten a dry one, transform leftovers or even provide the basis for the whole recipe.  Sauces made by deglazing the sauté pan with added ingredients are in this category.

The simplest sauces are GLAZES, made by melting a food in its solid state, for example jelly, or sugar, over low heat while adding a liquid, usually flavored, to transform it into a pourable consistency and alter its taste to compliment the flavor of the dish it accompanies. If the dish is roasted, the glaze may be added during the cooking and will usually be mentioned on the menu.

Only slightly more complicated are REDUCTIONS. Here a liquid like broth, stock, wine or juice is simmered (cooked just under low boil) until the water content evaporates reducing the volume, thickening the consistency and intensifying the flavor. Reductions can be started over a base of cooking vegetables, a canned broth, even a deglazed pan. Often they need to be strained to smooth them and a pat of butter added at the end will give them a silky finish.

COULIS is a sauce made by cooking the meat of vegetables or fruit, then pureeing and straining it, often adding spices or herbs. These days it would seem more of a condiment, usually encountered dribbled over a dish or decoratively around a plate rim. This includes what, returning to the tomato discussion, the jarred or canned tomato “sauce “dear to many generations of spaghetti lovers as opposed to the heartier tomato “gravy”.

Sauces using a thickening agent are probably the widest varied group, encompassing three major thickening agents, egg yolks, flour and cornstarch. Arrowroot and tapioca are sometimes mentioned in recipes, usually older ones, but to keep the pantry simple, I don’t use them, substituting either flour or cornstarch.

EGG thickened sauces generally follow the same procedure. The yolks are beaten in a bowl and the other ingredients are heated on a stove. A bit of the hot liquid is poured into the eggs to warm them and prevent them scrambling when introduced to the heat as they’re added to the pot. Then the mixture is stirred constantly to prevent curdling until it thickens to the desired consistency. Because of the hazards associated with raw eggs, it’s wise to avoid the “No Cook” recipes for these sauces, but there are plenty of excellent powdered ones available for those short on time.

However, this does open the door for a look into the world of classic sauces according to the French, with some guidance from Julia Child and Alma Lach. There are 5 WARM “Mother” sauces, 2 COLD “Mother” sauces and 1 in a category of its own; for a total of 8 sauces.  A “Mother” sauce is one whose taste is integral to the dish(es) with which it is served and be can be modified to create several other sauces, some of which can be further modified to create a third generation of sauces; grandchildren as it were. Several sauces can form the basis of a dish such as Lobster Newburg or Chicken a la King.

*The most fundamental of the classic French sauces is the Béchamel described above, which is quite simply a roux made with milk and/or cream. The other Mother sauces are Sauce Volute, Hollandaise,Demi-Glace, Sauce de Tomate, Mayonnaise, Oil and Vinegar and Sauces au Burre(Butter Sauces) I explore all of them, plus their offspring in Savvy Sauces and Gravies, explaining how to make them, use them and build on them, including directions for popular sauces like Marsala, Picatta, Cranberry, dessert sauces such as raspberry, even custard filling. 

In the book, I show how to make sauces to fit your needs, to make them do double duty, give you options, giving recipe examples, including one multi task recipe. I also discuss pan sauces you can create as you cook. But that’s such a big topic I’m going to save it for discussion I in next week’s post.