{"id":744,"date":"2014-01-20T10:31:54","date_gmt":"2014-01-20T10:31:54","guid":{"rendered":""},"modified":"2016-08-21T21:04:00","modified_gmt":"2016-08-22T03:04:00","slug":"its-all-gravy-reduction-sauce-roux-bechamel-veloute-mornay","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/articles\/its-all-gravy-reduction-sauce-roux-bechamel-veloute-mornay\/","title":{"rendered":"It’s All Gravy: Reduction Sauce, Roux, B\u00e9chamel, Veloute, Mornay"},"content":{"rendered":"
\u00a0 The word gravy usually refers to the sauce that ramps up the meal in flavor, but few are exacting with its use.\u00a0 In fact, Italian Americans sometimes use the word to describe pasta sauce. \u00a0\u00a0I actually looked up the definition of the word \u201cgravy\u201d and found that it really only refers to a sauce made out of a meat\u2019s juices.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0So what is it that my mom makes from butter and flour and milk (with bacon fat if she has it)?\u00a0 That would be roux (pronounced roo<\/em>).\u00a0 This is actually a family joke for us.\u00a0 Wilson & I were only dating when he leaned over my mother\u2019s shoulder in excitement\u2014\u201cI love roux!\u201d he exclaimed.\u00a0 Now, Wilson comes from a multicultural family (French is his mother\u2019s first language).\u00a0 I come from a multicultural family too, if you understand that Southern Ohio and Southern Missouri are completely different cultures.\u00a0 Although the pronunciation of things like \u201ccreek\u201d (translation: crik<\/em>) and \u201cfire\u201d (translation: fawr<\/em>) vary widely from my family\u2019s diverse cultural backgrounds, there is only one word for that creamy sauce made from bacon fat:\u00a0 gravy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0I most commonly make what is called a \u201creduction sauce\u201d to get the yummy bits out of the pan.\u00a0 I just pour in some wine, which deglazes the pan beautifully.\u00a0 That means it pulls all of the flavors off of the cast iron and liquefies them.\u00a0 I might add something like onions or mushrooms and then turn the heat down to let it simmer and thicken, scraping the bottom to get the cooked-on tasties. <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n People complain about how difficult it is to make gravy but it has more to do with texture than academics; no one can give an exact recipe because of the variables of fat or starch used.\u00a0 Use the left over meaty bits in the pan, and add some lard or butter if needed, and deglaze.\u00a0 Turn the heat to medium-low, and slowly add milk while continuously stirring. \u00a0Mix in some flour (a tablespoon at a time) to thicken but never stop stirring, not for a moment. \u00a0You can let this simmer as long as you must to get your desired consistency.\u00a0 Some people swear by cornstarch instead of flour, but we do not personally use that; if you are gluten-free, arrowroot or tapioca do the job nicely (rice flour burns too quickly, avoid that). \u00a0You\u2019ll add salt and pepper to taste, and that is really all there is to it.\u00a0 It\u2019s a matter of 4 additional minutes in the kitchen, tops.\u00a0 It is a great way of scraping the last flavor out of the cast iron skillet.\u00a0 Taste as you go, go slowly, and do not be afraid to experiment.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Similar in purpose, but more versatile and delicious\u2014B\u00e9chamel (pronounced bay-shu-mell)\u2014actually serves as its own ingredient within other recipes to bring moisture and depth. \u00a0It is a French white sauce that is used through most of European cuisine; many Italian, German, and British recipes consider it a necessary staple for things like seafood crepes or meatballs.\u00a0 Although you will see many variations of this \u201cgravy\u201d most will include the secret ingredient that separates it out from other pan sauces\u2026nutmeg.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Recipe for Bechamel Sauce<\/strong> \u00a01) In a saucepan, warm milk on low while you are melting your butter in a separate skillet.<\/span><\/p>\n 2) Start by melting butter in a medium-low skillet (butter burns quickly).\u00a0 Using ghee instead (my secret, shhh, don\u2019t tell) will enrich the flavor and help prevent burning.<\/span><\/p>\n 3)Stir 3-4 TBS flour into the melted butter until it\u2019s a thick paste.<\/span><\/p>\n 4)Then immediately pour \u00bd cup broth (vegetable or animal, either is good) while stirring.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n 5) Add about a cup of warmed milk, salt & pepper and \u2013TahDah\u2014a pinch of nutmeg.\u00a0 You can turn this to low, cover, and walk away for 5 minutes at a time until it is your desired thickness (usually about 10 minutes). <\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Feel free to add your favorite herbs or spices (like fresh rosemary or basil), dry mustard, or other spices.\u00a0 The variations of Bechamel are endless.<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0Veloute:<\/strong> Veloute is basically a dairy-free Bechamel.\u00a0 Make the standard Bechamel, but substitute more broth for the milk.<\/span><\/p>\n Mornay Sauce:<\/strong> Make Bechamel, but add about \u00bd cup grated cheese (such as fresh parmesan or swiss) at the end, stirring well.\u00a0 This is a wonderful way to make lasagna, casseroles, or a white sauce for pasta.\u00a0 Use this as a substitute for spaghetti sauce if you have to, just be sure to add plenty of garlic! \u00a0If you do not like gravy, neither do I.\u00a0 But call it Bechamel, serve it in a crepe or a meatball,<\/a> and use your best French accent over dinner.\u00a0 It will make all the difference.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u00c0 bient\u00f4t \u2026<\/strong>or as we say in Southern Ohio, see\u2019ya<\/em>,<\/span><\/p>\n Chaya<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n A note:<\/strong> If you are a connoisseur of delicate international cuisine, I am downright offensive in my oversimplications.\u00a0 I know.\u00a0 It’s because I am not afraid to break the rules.<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
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