Sauces, yum, need I say more….they are essential in French cuisine and make each dish pop to its full potential. While I was in culinary school we not only learned all of these 5 mother sauces but of course we were ingrained with the chain of command in the kitchen.
To those not in the culinary world, in a full service kitchen there is a dedicated position to this craft called the Saucier (Sauce chef) – This chef is responsible for creating sauces and gravies that accompany other dishes. They report directly to the head chef or sous chef and specialize in the 5 mother sauces of French cuisine.
These Five French “mother sauces” were classified by the 19th-century chef Auguste Escoffier, and they form the foundations of many classic French Dishes.
1. Béchamel
A white sauce made from a roux (butter and flour) and milk, sometimes we add sauteed onions. It’s the base for sauces like Mornay and cheese sauces, but I also like it for a nice spinach artichoke dip.
2. Velouté
Another white sauce made from a roux (butter and flour) but thickened with a light stock, such as chicken, fish, or vegetable broth, rather than milk. I use this one for my Blanquette de Veau.
3. Espagnole (Brown Sauce)
A more complex, dark brown sauce made with a roux and a rich brown stock (like beef), often with tomato purée and mirepoix (a mix of onions, carrots, and celery).
4. Tomato
A classic tomato-based sauce made from tomatoes, herbs, and vegetables. It’s sometimes thickened with a roux or just reduced to the desired consistency.
5. Hollandaise
An emulsified sauce made from egg yolks, clarified butter, and lemon juice or vinegar and at La Belugue we add Dijon mustard. It’s typically served with vegetables, eggs, meat and seafood. This is one of my favorites to teach at The Cooking School by La Belugue because it’s so versatile and flavorful. Most of my students say they just buy it, but after seeing how easy it is, they are empowered just to make it themselves at home.
Our Cooking School at La Belugue, teaches the simplified versions of this that you can recreate at home, without the hours and hours of reduction required that typical Sauciers slave over.
