FCS 700022

Prepare Sauces:
Mother and/or Grand
M ANY CHEFS consider the mother

sauces to be the centerpiece of
culinary arts and the hallmark of any
quality chef. This group of five essential
sauces can be manipulated into
countless other derivative or “small”
sauces. Some of the mother sauces are
quite easy to prepare, while others are
more challenging. All are, however,
within the grasp of anyone who wants to
learn.
Objectives:
þ 1. Describe the five mother/grand sauces.

2. Explain how each mother/grand sauce is prepared.
Key Terms:
Ñ béchamel
cheesecloth
grand sauce
hollandaise
saucier
small sauce
clarified butter mother sauce stock
derivative sauce roux tomato sauce
emulsion sachet velouté sauce
espagnole sauce sauce
Descriptions of the Mother/Grand Sauces

Several definitions for “sauce” are common. A sauce is often described as any liquid sea-
soning for food, a complement to food, or a liquid dressing for food. A saucier (saw-see-AY)
chef prepares sauces, gravies, sautés, stews, hot hors d’oeuvres, and soups in large foodservice
kitchens. Five sauces are known as mother (mères) or grand (grandes) sauces. The terms are
E-unit: Prepare Sauces: Mother and/or Grand

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used interchangeably. Mother sauce or grand sauce is the basis of (the mother of) deriv-
ative sauce or small sauce (the children).
BÉCHAMEL
Béchamel (pronounced
BESH-a-mel) is a simple and
thick creamy white sauce made
from milk and a white roux. In
the United States, we often refer
to béchamel sauce as cream sauce.
Roux is a cooked paste made of
equal weights of butter and flour;
it is used to thicken sauces.
Béchamel is somewhat bland and
is easily adjusted for many appli-
cations, from cheese sauce to the
creamy basis for foods such as FIGURE 1. When milk is whisked into a roux, it becomes the white sauce
creamed chicken, chipped beef, called béchamel.
and creamed spinach.
VELOUTÉ
Velouté (pronounced vel-OO-tay) sauce is a simple creamy white sauce (same family as
béchamel) with a roux as a thickening agent, but it is made from a stock (usually chicken)
instead of milk. Stock is the foundation of most sauces and soups; it is a flavorful liquid made
from the strained liquid of simmering bones and vegetables. The bones for a stock usually
match the intended accompaniment and can be fish (fumet), chicken, beef, pork, or beef.
Stock has no added salt, so the flavor of velouté is rather bland.
HOLLANDAISE
Hollandaise is a thick, creamy yellow sauce made from egg yolks, clarified butter, and
lemon juice. It is technically a more challenging sauce to make than béchamel or velouté. Clar-
ified butter is butter that has been melted over low heat; the clear yellow fat has separated
from the milk solids that are normally suspended in whole solid butter. The rapid mixing of
egg yolks and butter together over heat creates an emulsion (a smooth mixture of two
unmixable ingredients in suspension). The flavor of hollandaise is rich, buttery, and lemony.
Although hollandaise is delicious on its own, it can be adapted into many derivative or small
sauces. A caution with hollandaise and its derivative sauces is its holding temperature. Hollan-
daise must be held at or around 180°F because higher temperatures will curdle the sauce. Most

hollandaise sauces are made to
order or are made in small batches
because 180°F is a breeding
ground for bacteria. The maxi-
mum time for holding is approxi-
mately 1.5 hours.
TOMATO
Tomato sauce is a sauce
made from fresh or canned toma-
toes, herbs, spices, and white FIGURE 2. The emulsion of clarified butter and egg yolks turns into this thick,
stock (usually chicken) cooked for rich, and yellow buttery sauce.
many hours and pureed or
blended until smooth. It is a basic red sauce and has a somewhat involved cooking procedure.
Herbs for tomato and other sauces are commonly wrapped in cheesecloth (fine cotton
mesh-like gauze) and tied with string into a small bag called a sachet. Herbs are necessary for
many sauce preparations, but they are often removed from the sauce after cooking.
ESPAGNOLE
Espagnole (pronounced
ES-pan-yole) sauce is a rich and
hearty brown sauce made with a
brown roux and mixed with
brown stock (made from
browned beef or veal bones),
tomato sauce or paste, a sachet,
and vegetables that are allowed to
simmer for several hours. It is
strained and puréed to ensure a
smooth consistency. It has a simi- FIGURE 3. This rich hearty brown sauce is a classic espagnole.
larly complex preparation to
tomato sauce. Espagnole (literally “Spanish”) sauce most often accompanies beef, veal, poultry,
or lamb entrees. In addition, it is the basis for many classic derivative sauces.
Making the Mother Sauces

Below are basic recipes for the five mother sauces. They are in small enough quantity for
you to try at home.

Béchamel sauce recipe and preparation instructions for approximately 1 quart of sauce:
Ingredients:
5 T. butter
¼ C. all-purpose flour
1 qt. milk
2 t. salt
¼ t. freshly grated nutmeg
Preparation instructions:
a. Mise en place—Assemble all ingredients prior to beginning the preparation.
b. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, stir in the flour until
smooth. Continue stirring as the flour cooks to a light, golden, sandy color (approxi-
mately 7 minutes).
c. Increase the heat to medium-high. Slowly whisk in milk until it is thickened by the
roux. Whisk briskly as needed to remove any lumps. Bring to a gentle simmer. Then
reduce heat to medium-low. Continue simmering until the flour has softened and not
longer or it will taste gritty. It takes approximately 10 to 20 minutes. Next, season with
salt and nutmeg.
Velouté recipe and preparation instructions for approximately 1 quart of sauce:
Ingredients:
4 C. chicken stock
2 T. clarified butter
2 T. all-purpose flour
b. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, heat butter over a medium heat until it becomes frothy.
c. With a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the melted butter, giving you a pale yellow
paste. Heat the roux for another minute or so to cook off the taste of raw flour.
d. Use a wire whisk to slowly blend the hot chicken stock into the roux. Whisk enough to
make sure it is free of lumps.
e. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes or until the total volume has reduced by about
¼, stirring frequently to make sure the sauce does not scorch at the bottom of the pan.
Use a ladle to skim off any impurities that rise to the surface.
f. The resulting sauce should be smooth and velvety. If it is too thick, whisk in a bit more
hot stock until it is just thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Hollandaise recipe and preparation instructions for approximately 1½ to 2 cups of sauce:
Ingredients:
1 C. clarified butter (about 2½ sticks before clarifying)
4 large egg yolks
2 T. fresh lemon juice (juice of 1 small lemon)
1 T. cold water
salt, to taste
cayenne pepper (or a dash of Tabasco sauce), to taste
b. Heat an inch or two of water in a saucepan over medium heat. The clarified butter
should be warm, not hot.
c. Combine the egg yolks and the cold water in a glass or stainless steel bowl (not alumi-
num). Whisk for a minute or two, until the mixture is light and foamy. Whisk in a cou-
ple drops of lemon juice, too.
d. The water in the saucepan should have begun to simmer. Set the bowl directly atop the
saucepan of simmering water. The water itself should not come in contact with the
bottom of the bowl. Whisk the eggs for a minute or two, until they are slightly thick-
ened.
e. Remove the bowl from the heat. Begin adding the melted butter slowly at first, a few
drops at a time, while whisking constantly. If you add it too quickly, the emulsion will
break.
f. Continue beating in the melted butter. As the sauce thickens, you can gradually
increase the rate at which you add it. At first, however, slower is better.
g. After adding all the butter, whisk in the remaining lemon juice. Season to taste with salt
and cayenne pepper (or a dash of Tabasco sauce). The finished hollandaise sauce will
have a smooth, firm consistency. If it is too thick, you can adjust the consistency by
whisking in a few drops of warm water.
Tomato sauce recipe and preparation instructions for approximately 2 quarts of sauce:
Ingredients:
2 oz. salt pork, diced
2 C. onions, diced
1 C. carrots, diced
1 C. celery, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
4 lb. fresh tomatoes, stems removed (or substitute 2 28-oz. cans of crushed tomatoes)

1 qt. veal or chicken stock
1 ham bone
salt, to taste
granulated sugar, to taste
For the sachet bag:

1 fresh bay leaf
½ t. dried thyme
3 to 4 fresh parsley stems
8 to 10 black peppercorns, crushed
a 6-inch square of cheesecloth and string or twine
b. Tie the sachet ingredients into a cheesecloth sack using a piece of kitchen twine, mak-
ing a small bag of spices and herbs.
c. In a heavy stockpot, cook the salt pork over low heat until the fat liquefies.
d. Add the carrots, celery, onions, and garlic. Sauté for a few minutes until the onion is
translucent, not brown.
e. Add the tomatoes, the stock, the ham bone, and the sachet.
f. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer partially covered for a minimum of two
hours.
g. Remove the sachet and ham bone. Purée the sauce in a blender or a food processor
until smooth, working in batches if necessary.
h. Season to taste with salt and a small amount of sugar—just enough to cut the acid edge
of the tomatoes. Some cooks prefer to add a bit of baking soda to the sauce to neutralize
the acid rather than trying to sweeten the sauce with sugar.
Espagnole sauce recipe and preparation instructions for approximately 1 quart of sauce:
Ingredients:
1 C. onions, diced
½ C. carrots, diced
½ C. celery, diced
2 T. clarified butter
2 T. all-purpose flour
6 C. (1 qt. + 1 pt.) brown stock
¼ C. tomato purée

For the sachet bag:
1 fresh bay leaf
½ t. dried thyme
3 to 4 fresh parsley stems
a 6-inch square of cheesecloth and string or twine
b. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it becomes
frothy.
c. Add the vegetables and sauté for a few minutes until they are lightly browned, not
burnt.
d. With a wooden spoon, stir the flour into the vegetables a little bit at a time, until it is
fully incorporated and forms a thick paste. Heat the roux for several minutes to lightly
brown the paste.
e. Use a wire whisk to slowly add the stock and tomato purée to the roux. Whisk to make
sure it is free of lumps.
f. Bring to a boil, and then lower the heat. Tie up the herbs in the cheesecloth, making a
sachet or bag of herbs. Add it to the pot. Simmer for at least two hours, or until the
total volume has reduced by about a, stirring frequently to make sure the sauce does
not scorch on the bottom of the pan. Use a ladle to skim off any impurities that rise to
the surface.
g. Remove the sauce from the heat. Retrieve and discard the sachet. For an extra smooth
consistency, carefully pour the sauce through a wire mesh strainer lined with a piece of
cheesecloth.
Summary:
2 Mother sauce and grand sauce are interchangeable terms and refer to the five sauces
that are the basis for many others called small or derivative sauces. The five mother
sauces are the creamy white sauce béchamel; the creamy golden sauce velouté; the
rich yellow emulsion called hollandaise; the classic red tomato sauce; and the
hearty, rich, brown espagnole sauce.
Béchamel is made from milk and roux. In contrast, velouté is made from roux and
stock. Hollandaise is a whisked emulsion of clarified butter, egg yolks, and lemon
juice cooked over hot water. Tomato sauce is made from fresh or canned tomatoes,
stock, and herbs tied in a sachet bag. Espagnole sauce is a complicated process and
uses a brown roux mixed with brown beef stock and vegetables.

Checking Your Knowledge:
´ 1. What is the difference between a béchamel and a velouté sauce?

2. What herbs are commonly found in a sachet bag?
3. Why is fine tomato sauce puréed?
4. What should hollandaise sauce taste like?
5. What is a “small sauce”?
Expanding Your Knowledge:
L Georges Escoffier was one of the greatest chefs in history and is known as the
“father of modern cuisine.” Escoffier is credited with the creation and recording of
the mother sauce formulas. He is also credited with many modern developments
(in professional kitchens) that still exist today. Do some research to learn about
some of Escoffier’s contributions to culinary arts. What is his connection to the
hotelier Ritz? What does he have to do with the “brigade” system? Escoffier per-
fected “classical cuisine.” What is it? The mother sauces he created are still the basis
for modern sauces today, but what derivative sauces did Escoffier create from them?
Web Links:
: Mother Sauces
http://everything2.com/title/Mother+Sauces
Mother Sauces
http://freeculinaryschool.com/category/sauces/mother-sauces-sauces/
The Five Grand Sauces

http://www.globalgourmet.com/food/egg/egg1196/eggsalad.html


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Prepare Sauces:

Mother and/or Grand

M ANY CHEFS consider the mother

þ 1. Describe the five mother/grand sauces.

Descriptions of the Mother/Grand Sauces

E-unit: Prepare Sauces: Mother and/or Grand

and creamed spinach.

E-unit: Prepare Sauces: Mother and/or Grand

Making the Mother Sauces

E-unit: Prepare Sauces: Mother and/or Grand

Velouté recipe and preparation instructions for approximately 1 quart of sauce:

E-unit: Prepare Sauces: Mother and/or Grand

E-unit: Prepare Sauces: Mother and/or Grand

For the sachet bag:

E-unit: Prepare Sauces: Mother and/or Grand

E-unit: Prepare Sauces: Mother and/or Grand

´ 1. What is the difference between a béchamel and a velouté sauce?

Expanding Your Knowledge:

The Five Grand Sauces

E-unit: Prepare Sauces: Mother and/or Grand

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