Some sauces may be thickened and enriched by the addition of egg yolks. The yolks are usually mixed with a hit of cream and a little of the hot sauce, which warms the eggs and cream and prevents curdling. Once you have added the egg-yolk mixture to the sauce, it must be stirred constantly and, the moment it reaches the boiling point, removed from the heat and stirred briskly for a minute or two more. The peelings and stems of mushrooms (these are later strained out) may be added for flavor and for the quality they seem to possess of blending together all the other flavors. Sometimes a few drops of lemon juice arc added to a white sauce, particularly when it is to garnish fish. And when you make a cheese sauce such as Mornay, you should choose a dry, nonfatty cheese like Parmesan or Swiss in preference to a fatty one like Cheddar. A fatty Cheese may change the texture of the sauce instead of simply adding flavor. If the recipe calls for shallots and you Cannot obtain them. you may substitute a tablespoon of finely chopped onion for each shallot. Finally, take care in adding salt, because its flavor becomes more concentrated as the sauce reduces. It is better to salt the sauce lightly at the beginning and to correct the seasoning just before serving.
The genealogy of the basic sauces is easy to remember. In the white-sauce family, béchamel is made with a white roux and milk, and velouté with a white roux and chicken stock. Add cream to béchamel and you make cream sauce; add egg yolks and cheese to cream sauce and you make Mornay. Or, beginning with velouté, you add mushrooms and cream to make sauce suprême. By adding egg yolks and more cream to sauce suprême, you make allemande, the richest sauce of all. In the brown-sauce family, brown sauce is made with a brown roux and brown stock, and tomato sauce with a brown roux and tomatoes, and so it goes. You can make any sauce ahead of time and reheat it slowly over low heat, stirring constantly. Velouté, brown, and tomato sauces can be kept in jars in the refrigerator for about a week. Seal the jar by pouring a little melted fat into it, or float a little Sherry on the sauce. Sauces containing milk, cream, or eggs should not be stored for longer than one day.
Béchamel Sauce
In a saucepan sauté 1 tablespoon onion, finely chopped, in 2 tablespoons butter, until the onion is soft but not at all brown. Add 2 tablespoons flour, mix well, and cook the roux slowly, stirring constantly, until it just starts to turn golden. Add gradually 3 cups scalded milk, and cook, stirring vigorously with a wire whip, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Season the sauce with ¼ teaspoon salt, 3 white peppercorns, a sprig of parsley, and, if desired, a tiny pinch of grated nutmeg. Cook the sauce slowly, stirring frequently, for about 30 minutes, or until it is reduced to two thirds the original volume. Strain the béchamel through a fine sieve. Makes about 2 cups.
Mornay Sauce
To 2 cups hot béchamel add 3 egg yolks beaten lightly with a little cream and a little of the hot sauce. Cook, Stirring constantly, until the sauce reaches the boiling point, but do not let it boil. Finish with 2 tablespoons each of butter and grated Parmesan or Swiss cheese.
Cream Sauce
Heat 1 ½ cups béchamel with ½ cup heavy cream and correct the seasoning with salt. If the cream sauce is to be served with fish, add a few drops of lemon juice.
Caper Cream Sauce
To 2 cups hot cream sauce add 2 tablespoons capers and 2 teaspoons parsley.
Poulette Sauce
In a saucepan sauté 6 to 8 mushrooms, minced, in 1 tablespoon butter until they just start to brown. Add 2 shallots, finely chopped, and ½ cup cream. Cook the cream until it is reduced to half the original quantity and add ½ cup béchamel or cream sauce. bring the sauce to the boiling point, correct the seasoning with salt, and add 2 egg yolks mixed lightly with a little cream and a little of the hot sauce. Bring the sauce again to the boiling point, stirring constantly, but do not let it boil. Finish the sauce with the juice of ½ lemon and ½ teaspoon chopped parsley.
Sauce Velouté
To 2 tablespoons melted butter in a saucepan, add 2 tablespoons flour, mix well, and cook the rouxslowly, stirring constantly until it just starts to turn golden. Add 3 cups boiling chicken Stock, a cup at a time, stirring vigorously with a wire whip. Season the sauce with 3 white peppercorns, a little silt (unless the stuck is salty), and a sprig of parsley. If desired, add ½ cup mushroom peelings and stems. Simmer the sauce, stirring it frequently and skimming it from time to rime, for about 1 hour, or until it is reduced to two thirds its original volume. Strain the velouté through a fine sieve. If the sauce is to be stored fur later use, stir it with the whip from time to time as it cools.
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