1. Food

Sauces: The Heart of Classical Cuisine

Sauce making is a centuries-old art, but that doesn't mean you have to be a five-star chef to be able to make a great demi-glaze. You might be surprised at how simple it is to make your own sauces -- and you're sure to taste the difference in your culinary creations!
  1. White Sauces (13)
  2. Butter Sauces (12)

How to Thicken a Sauce with Cornstarch
In the culinary arts, a slurry is a mixture of cornstarch and liquid (usually water or stock) used to thicken a sauce or soup.

Creole Sauce Recipe
The Creole sauce is a spicy tomato sauce made with sauteed onions, green peppers, and garlic, and seasoned with cayenne pepper.

Provençale Sauce Recipe
The Provençale sauce is a fragrant tomato sauce made with sauteed onions, garlic, capers, olives and Herbes de Provence.

Portuguese Sauce Recipe
The Portuguese sauce is a hearty tomato sauce made with sauteed onions, garlic, diced tomatoes and parsley.

Sauces Made from Bechamel
Béchamel is a standard white sauce and one of the five "mother sauces" of classical cuisine. That means it's the starting point for making other sauces, called "small sauces." Here's a list of small sauces that are based on béchame

Spanish Sauce Recipe
The Spanish sauce is a spicy tomato sauce made with sauteed onions, green peppers, mushrooms and garlic.

Sauces Made from Bechamel
Béchamel is a standard white sauce and one of the five mother sauces of classical cuisine. That means it's the starting point for making other sauces, called "small sauces." Here's a list of small sauces that are based on béchame

Béchamel Sauce Recipe
Béchamel is a basic white sauce that is the starting point for other classic sauces such as the Crème sauce and the Mornay sauce.

Classic Tomate Sauce
This Tomato Sauce is one of the five mother sauces of classical cuisine and the starting point for a number of other traditional tomato-based sauces.

Horseradish Sauce Recipe
This horseradish sauce is a classic sauce to serve with roast beef, and it's amazing with prime rib. It's also super easy to make.

Pan Sauce Recipe
This simple pan sauce recipe is perfect for chicken, pork chops, or even steak, and you can make it in about five minutes.

Au Jus Recipe
This easy au jus recipe is perfect for roasted beef recipes like prime rib. You can also modify the au jus to serve with roasted chicken, lamb or veal.

Caper Sauce Recipe
This flavorful caper sauce will enhance a roasted leg of lamb and you can make it while the lamb roasts.

Mint Sauce Recipe
This mint sauce is a perfect accompaniment for roast lamb and you can make it in just a few minutes. It's far superior to mint jelly from a jar.

Dijon Sauce Recipe
The Dijon Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding Dijon mustard to a basic Hollandaise. The Dijon sauce can be served with vegetables, fish or grilled chicken.

Foyot Sauce Recipe
The Foyot Sauce is a variation on the classic Bearnaise sauce made by adding meat glaze to the basic Bearnaise. Like Bearnaise, the Foyot Sauce is typically served with grilled steak.

How to Make Glazes
Glazes are highly concentrated reductions of stocks that can be used to fortify sauces or diluted with water to make stock again. Learn how to make meat glaze, chicken glaze or fish glaze.

Glace de Poisson Recipe
This glace recipe, called glace de poisson, is a basic fish glaze made by reducing and concentrating fish stock.

Glace de Volaille Recipe
This glace recipe, called glace de volaille, is a basic chicken glaze made by reducing and concentrating chicken stock.

Glace de Viande Recipe
This glace recipe, called glace de viande, is a basic meat glaze made by reducing and concentrating brown stock.

Choron Sauce Recipe
The Choron Sauce is a variation on the classic Bearnaise sauce made by adding tomato paste to the basic Bearnaise. Like Bearnaise, the Choron Sauce is typically served with grilled steak.

Mousseline Sauce Recipe
The Maltaise Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding the juice of blood oranges to a basic Holllandaise. The Maltaise sauce is traditionally served with asparagus.

Maltaise Sauce Recipe
The Maltaise Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding the juice of blood oranges to a basic Holllandaise. The Maltaise sauce is traditionally served with asparagus.

Port Wine Sauce Recipe
The Port Wine Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding port wine to a basic demiglaze. The Port Wine sauce is an excellent accompaniment for roasts and steaks.

Madeira Sauce Recipe
The Madeira Sauce is a classic sauce made by adding Madeira wine to a basic demiglaze. The Madeira sauce is an excellent accompaniment for roasts and steaks.

Shrimp Sauce Recipe
This creamy shrimp sauce can be served with fish and seafood dishes, especially shellfish. It's made by adding shrimp butter and cayenne pepper to a basic White Wine Sauce.

Gnocchi Sauces
These classic sauces, including the Supr me Sauce, Allemande Sauce and others, can be served with all kinds of chicken and poultry dishes, from hearty grilled or roasted chicken to mild poached chicken. Many of the sauces here also pair well with veal.

Sauce Recipes for Chicken and Poultry
These classic sauces, including the Supr me Sauce, Allemande Sauce and others, can be served with all kinds of chicken and poultry dishes, from hearty grilled or roasted chicken to mild poached chicken. Many of the sauces here also pair well with veal.

Hungarian Sauce Recipe
The Hungarian Sauce is a classical sauce made by enriching a chicken or veal velouté sauce with with onions, paprika and white wine.

Poulette Sauce Recipe
The poulette sauce is a creamy, tangy mushroom sauce for chicken and poultry dishes. It's made by adding sautéed mushrooms, chopped parsley and lemon juice to a basic Allemande Sauce.

Herb Seafood Sauce
This creamy herb sauce can be served with fish and seafood dishes. It's made by adding fresh herbs to a basic White Wine Sauce.

Sauce Recipes for Fish and Seafood
These classic sauces, like the Hollandaise Sauce, Normandy Sauce, Bercy Sauce and others, can be served with fish and seafood dishes, including pan-seared sea scallops, sautéed tilapia, grilled salmon and more.

Mushroom Sauce for Fish & Seafood (Mushroom Sauce III)
This creamy mushroom sauce can be served with fish and seafood dishes. It's made by adding sautéed mushrooms to a basic White Wine Sauce.

Sauce Recipes for Meat and Pork
These classic sauces, like the mushroom sauce, red wine reduction sauce and others based on the traditional demi-glace, can be served with meat and pork dishes, including grilled steaks, chops and roasts.

Mushroom Sauce II
This creamy mushroom sauce can be served with chicken and poultry dishes as well as veal. It's made by adding sautéed mushrooms to a basic Suprême Sauce or Allemande Sauce.

Mushroom Sauce I
This classic Mushroom Sauce is served with roasted or grilled meat dishes. It's made with sauteed mushrooms, shallots and simmered in a basic demi-glace.

Aurora Sauce Recipe
The Aurora Sauce is a creamy tomato sauce for eggs, vegetables and pasta dishes. It's made by adding tomato purée to a basic Suprême Sauce or Allemande Sauce.

Bercy Sauce II
The Bercy sauce is a savory sauce for roasts and steaks that is made by reducing white wine and chopped shallots and then simmering in a basic demi-glace.

Chasseur Sauce Recipe
The Chasseur Sauce is served with venison, rabbit and other game dishes. It's made with sauteed mushrooms and a white wine reduction and simmered in a basic demi-glace.

Lyonnaise Sauce Recipe
The Lyonnaise Sauce is a flavorful sauce made with onions and white wine vinegar simmered in a basic demi-glace. The Sauce Lyonnaise goes with roasted meat, grilled pork and poultry dishes.

Bercy Sauce Recipe
The Bercy sauce is a finished sauce for fish and seafood dishes that is made by reducing white wine and chopped shallots and then simmering in a basic fish velouté.

Fish Velouté Sauce
Velouté is one of the "leading sauces" of classical cuisine. This version, the fish velouté, is the basis for the traditional White Wine Sauce and many others.

Veal Velouté Sauce
Velouté is one of the five mother sauces of classical cuisine. This version, the veal velouté, is the basis for the traditional Allemande sauce and several others.

Charcutière Sauce Recipe
The Charcutiere Sauce is a tangy sauce made with onions, mustard, white wine and chopped cornichons. The Charcutiere sauce is an ideal accompaniment for grilled pork and other meats.

Sauce Robert Recipe
The Robert Sauce is a finished sauce made with onions, mustard and white wine simmered in a basic demi-glace. The Sauce Robert is an ideal accompaniment for grilled pork and other meat dishes.

Marchand de Vin Sauce Recipe
The Marchand de Vin sauce is the classic red wine reduction sauce. It's made by reducing red wine and chopped shallots and then simmering in a basic demi-glace. The Marchand de Vin sauce is delicious served with roasts and steaks.

Chicken Velouté
Velouté is one of the mother sauces of classical cuisine. Chicken velouté, the most common velouté, is the basis for the traditional Suprême sauce and many others.

Espagnole Sauce Recipe
Espagnole is a basic brown sauce that is one of the five leading sauces of classical cuisine. It's also the starting point for making the traditional demi-glace.

Demi-glace Recipe
Demi-glace is a rich and deeply flavorful sauce that is traditionally served with red meats. Demi-glace (or demi-glaze) is made by reducing a mixture of half basic brown sauce and half brown stock.

Cheese Fondue Recipe
This traditional cheese fondue features both Emmenthaler and Gruyère cheeses as well as Kirschwasser (also called Kirsch), a type of brandy made from cherries.

Cranberry Sauce: Step By Step
Cranberry sauce is so easy to make, you'll never want to use the canned stuff again. This tutorial shows you how to make your own fresh cranberry sauce.

How To Make Gravy: Chicken or Turkey Gravy Recipe
Making chicken or turkey gravy starts with broth or stock which is then reduced and thickened. Learn how to make a simple chicken or turkey gravy.

Cranberry Sauce Recipe
This fresh cranberry sauce recipe is so easy and delicious, you'll never use the canned stuff again. We simmer the cranberries in orange juice for extra flavor.

How To Make Hollandaise Sauce
Hollandaise sauce is a wonderfully rich, lemony and buttery sauce. This illustrated tutorial guides you through making hollandaise sauce, one step at a time.

Bell Pepper Coulis Recipe
This recipe for bell pepper coulis is a nice accompaniment for roasted meats and makes a tasty and colorful garnish for puréed soups.

Garlic Aioli Sauce
Aioli is a tangy emulsified sauce similar to mayonnaise but made with olive oil instead of vegetable oil. A good shot of garlic gives this aioli recipe its punch.

Discuss in my forum

©2013 About.com. All rights reserved.