Mother Sauces

mother_sauces.md

French "Mother" Sauces

Escoffier codified five mother sauces in Le Guide Culinaire (1903) as the foundational building blocks of French cuisine: espagnole (brown stock), chicken velouté and fish velouté (light stock), hollandaise (butter), béchamel (milk), and tomato. The system's purpose was standardization. By mastering these five bases, a cook could derive dozens of secondary sauces through simple additions. This modular approach remains the organizational framework taught in culinary schools today.

flowchart TD
    M[Mother Sauces] --> ES["Espagnole<br/>(Brown Stock)"]
    M --> V["Velouté<br/>(Light Stock)"]
    V --> C["Chicken<br/>(Suprême)"]
    V --> Fish
    M --> H["Hollandaise<br/>(Butter)"]
    M --> BB["Béchamel<br/>(Milk)"]
    M --> Tomato

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Espagnole · Velouté (Fish) · Velouté (Chicken/Suprême) · Hollandaise · Béchamel · Tomato

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Sauce Precursors

Stocks · Glazes · Roux

Stocks

Estouffade (Brown Stock) · White Stock · White Chicken Stock · Brown Veal Stock · Game Stock · Fish Stock · Red Wine Fish Stock · Fish Essence

Estouffade (Brown Stock)

The foundation for Espagnole and all brown sauces.

Yield: ~10 litres (2½ gal)

Ingredient	Amount
Shin of beef on the bone	6 kg (13 lb)
Knuckle of veal (or lean veal trimmings)	6 kg (13 lb)
Raw ham, knuckle (blanched)	1
Fresh pork rind (blanched)	650 g (1 lb 7 oz)
Carrots, roughly chopped	650 g (1 lb 7 oz)
Onions, roughly chopped	650 g (1 lb 7 oz)
Bouquet garni (parsley stalks, thyme, bay leaves, garlic)	1
Water	14 litres (3 gal)

Method:

1. Bone out the meats. Break the bones small and lightly brown them in the oven.
2. Fry the carrot and onion in a little fat until brown.
3. Place bones, vegetables, ham, pork rind, and bouquet garni into a stockpot.
4. Add cold water, bring to the boil, skim, and simmer very gently for at least 12 hours, keeping the liquid at the same level by adding boiling water as required.
5. Cut the meat into very large dice, fry brown in hot fat, and place in a pan. Cover with some of the prepared stock and boil until reduced to a glaze; repeat this process two or three times.
6. Add the remainder of the stock, bring to the boil, skim to remove all fat, and allow to simmer gently until all the flavour has been extracted from the meat.
7. Pass through a strainer and reserve for use.

Note: When preparing brown stock from beef, it is recommended to first prepare a stock from the bones alone, simmering 12–15 hours, then use this liquid to moisten the meat. Placing all ingredients together in the stockpot before adding water risks overcolouring and spoiling the flavour—the principle of diffusion will colour the stock naturally.

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White Stock

A neutral-flavoured stock for veloutés and light sauces.

Yield: ~10 litres (2½ gal)

Ingredient	Amount
Shin of veal, veal trimmings, and veal bones	10 kg (22 lb)
Raw chicken giblets or carcasses	4
Carrots	800 g (1¾ lb)
Onions	400 g (15 oz)
Leek	300 g (11 oz)
Celery	100 g (3½ oz)
Cloves	4
Bouquet garni (parsley stalks, thyme, bay leaf)	1
Water	12 litres (2⅔ gal)
Salt	60 g (2 oz)

Method:

1. Bone out the shin and chop the bones very small.
2. Place all the bones and meat into a stockpot, cover with water, and add the salt.
3. Bring to the boil, skim carefully, and add the vegetables and flavouring.
4. Allow to simmer very gently and evenly for 3 hours.
5. Pass through a strainer and reserve for use.

Note: This stock should be kept clear by continuous, even simmering and by removing the scum and fat.

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White Chicken Stock

Prepared the same way as basic white stock but with the addition of extra chicken giblets and carcasses and three boiling fowls.

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Brown Veal Stock

Also called Gravy.

Yield: ~10 litres (2½ gal)

Ingredient	Amount
Boned shin or shoulder of veal, tied	6 kg (13 lb)
Veal bones, chopped very small	5 kg (11 lb)
Carrots	600 g (1 lb 5 oz)
Onions	400 g (14 oz)
Bay leaves	2
Thyme	2 sprigs
Parsley stalks	100 g (3½ oz)
Water or ordinary white stock	12 litres (2¾ gal)
Salt (if using water)	40 g (1½ oz)

Method:

1. Cover the base of a thick-bottomed pan or stockpot with carrots and onions cut into slices; add the rest of the flavouring ingredients and the meat and bones which have been previously browned in the oven.
2. Cover the pan, place on top of the stove and sweat the ingredients for 10 minutes.
3. Add a little of the stock or water and cook rapidly to reduce it to a glaze. Repeat this operation once or twice more.
4. Add the remainder of the stock or water, bring to the boil, skim carefully, and allow to simmer gently and evenly for 6 hours.
5. Pass through a strainer and reserve for use. This stock may be reduced before being used, according to requirements.

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Game Stock

Yield: ~5 litres (8½ pt)

Ingredient	Amount
Neck, breast, and trimmings of venison (old if possible but fresh)	3 kg (7 lb)
Hare trimmings	1 kg (2¼ lb)
Old partridges	2
Old pheasant	1
Old wild rabbits	2
Carrots	250 g (9 oz)
Onions	250 g (9 oz)
Bouquet garni	1
Juniper berries	15
Sage	1 sprig
Water	6 litres (10½ pt)
White wine	1 bottle

Method:

1. Cut the game into pieces and colour brown in a hot oven.
2. Cut the carrots and onions into slices, fry brown with the flavourings, and place in the bottom of a heavy pan.
3. Add the game; deglaze the tray in which this was browned with the wine and add to the game and vegetables together with an equal amount of water.
4. Place on the stove and reduce to a glaze. Add the rest of the water and bring to the boil.
5. Skim carefully and allow to simmer very gently, skimming carefully for 3 hours.
6. Pass through a strainer and use as required.

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Fish Stock

Yield: ~10 litres (2½ gal)

Ingredient	Amount
Bones and trimmings of sole, whiting, or brill	10 kg (22 lb)
Sliced onions	500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
Mushroom trimmings	250 g (9 oz)
Peppercorns	15 g (½ oz)
Parsley stalks	100 g (3½ oz)
Juice of 1 lemon	—
Water	10 litres (2½ gal)
White wine	1 bottle
Salt	40 g (1½ oz)

Method:

1. Place the onions, parsley stalks, and mushroom trimmings into a pan, add the bones and trimmings of fish.
2. Cover with the water and add the wine and lemon juice.
3. Bring to the boil quickly and skim carefully.
4. Allow to simmer very gently for 20 minutes, then add the peppercorns and continue cooking for another 10 minutes.
5. Pass through a strainer and use as required.

Note: This stock is used mainly in the preparation of fish sauces; if it is to be used for making Lenten or fish Espagnole, the ingredients should be stewed in a little butter before the liquid is added.

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Red Wine Fish Stock

Yield: ~5 litres (8½ pt)

Ingredient	Amount
Head, bones, and trimmings of the fish under preparation	2½ kg (5½ lb)
Sliced and blanched onions	300 g (11 oz)
Mushroom trimmings	100 g (3½ oz)
Parsley stalks	100 g (3½ oz)
Garlic	5 cloves
Salt	15 g (½ oz)
Thyme	1 sprig
Small bay leaves	2
Water	3½ litres (6 pt)
Good quality red wine	2 litres (3½ pt)

Method: Proceed in the same way as for Fish Stock.

Note: Although it is possible to reduce this stock without it losing its delicate flavour, it is advisable to prepare the exact amount required rather than having to reduce it before use.

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Fish Essence

A highly concentrated stock for enhancing the quality of small sauces.

Yield: ~1 litre (1½ pt)

Ingredient	Amount
Head, bones, and trimmings of sole or whiting	2 kg (4½ lb)
Sliced onions	125 g (4½ oz)
Parsley stalks	50 g (2 oz)
Mushroom trimmings	300 g (11 oz)
Juice of 1 lemon	—
Butter	100 g (3½ oz)
Clear fish stock	1½ litres (2½ pt)
Good quality white wine	3 dl (½ pt)
Salt	pinch

Method:

1. Melt the butter, add the onions, mushroom trimmings, and parsley stalks, and cook without colouring.
2. Add the fish, cover, and allow to stew for 15 minutes, turning the ingredients occasionally.
3. Add the wine and reduce it by half, then add the fish stock, lemon juice, and salt.
4. Bring to the boil, skim carefully, and allow to simmer gently for 15 minutes.
5. Pass through a fine strainer and use as required.

Note: It is much easier to prepare a rich, succulent stock of irreproachable quality than to use poor quality or mediocre stock and then complete it with a specially prepared essence. Essences prepared from highly flavoured products such as celery, mushroom, morels, or truffles are far better and more economical. Nine times out of ten it is better to add the product itself to the stock during its preparation rather than prepare a separate essence.

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Glazes

Meat Glaze · Chicken Glaze · Game Glaze · Fish Glaze

Glazes are stocks reduced to a syrupy consistency. They impart a brilliant shine, reinforce the quality and tone of sauces that were too weak, or can be used in their own right as a sauce after being correctly buttered or creamed according to the type of dish with which they are to be used.

Glazes can be distinguished from essences in that the latter are prepared with the object of extracting all of the flavour of the product under treatment, whereas glazes unite in a reduced form the principal strength and flavour of the ingredients themselves.

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Meat Glaze

Place sufficient brown stock into a large pan and allow it to reduce; from time to time after an appreciable degree of reduction has taken place, strain the stock into a smaller pan and continue to do this as the process of reduction progresses.

Skim the stock carefully throughout the process as the quality of the resultant glaze depends very much on this. Reduce the heat progressively as the reduction of the stock increases until the final stage when the reduction must be finished over a very moderate heat.

The glaze is ready when it adheres to the back of a spoon in the form of a glossy coating.

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Chicken Glaze

This is made in the same way as meat glaze using chicken stock instead of brown stock.

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Game Glaze

This is made in the same way as meat glaze using game stock.

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Fish Glaze

This is made in the same way as meat glaze using fish stock.

In practice, the fish essence, which is used for poaching the fish, will have a more delicate flavour than fish glaze and should be reduced and added to the sauce. (See Fish Essence.)

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Roux

Brown Roux · Blond Roux · White Roux

The various kinds of roux are used as the thickening agents for basic sauces. Three kinds of roux are used: brown roux for brown sauces, blond roux for veloutés and cream sauces, and white roux for béchamel and white sauces.

The use of clarified butter is recommended for making roux as the amount of casein which is present in ordinary butter is detrimental to the making of a good roux. The butter contained in a roux gives very little flavour to the finished sauce, and what little flavour there is will be removed during the skimming process.

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Brown Roux

Yield: ~1 kg (2¼ lb)

Ingredient	Amount
Clarified butter	500 g (1 lb 2 oz)
Sifted flour	600 g (1 lb 5 oz)

Method: Mix the butter and flour together in a heavy pan and place in a moderate oven to cook, stirring frequently until an even, light brown colour is obtained.

When cooked, the roux should have a smell resembling that of hazelnuts or baked flour and be without grains.

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Blond Roux

Using the same amount of ingredients as for brown roux, cook the roux very slowly until it takes on a light straw colour.

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White Roux

Using the same amount of ingredients as for brown roux, cook the roux for a few minutes only, just sufficient to eliminate the rawness of the flour.

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Espagnole (Demi)

A rich brown sauce that forms the foundation for countless derivatives. The name means "Spanish" in French, possibly referencing the tomato (introduced to France via Spain).

flowchart TD
    E["Espagnole"] --> O["(other derivatives)"]
    E --> Diane
    E --> Poivrade
    E --> Salmis

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Diane · Poivrade · Salmis

Base Recipe

Yield: ~1 quart

Ingredient	Amount
Brown stock (veal or beef)	2 quarts
Brown roux (butter + flour)	4 oz (½ cup butter + ½ cup flour)
Mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery)	1 cup total, diced
Tomato purée	2 tbsp
Salt pork or bacon	2 oz, diced
Sachet (bay leaf, thyme, parsley stems, peppercorns)	1

Method:

1. Render salt pork in a heavy stockpot. Add mirepoix, cook until lightly browned (8–10 min).
2. Add tomato purée, cook 2–3 min until it darkens slightly.
3. In a separate pan, make brown roux: cook butter and flour over medium heat, stirring constantly, until deep golden brown (35–40 min). Let cool slightly.
4. Add stock to mirepoix, bring to simmer. Whisk in cooled roux gradually.
5. Add sachet. Simmer 2–3 hours, skimming frequently. Sauce should reduce by roughly half and coat a spoon.
6. Strain through fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth, pressing on solids.

Demi-Glace: Combine equal parts Espagnole and brown stock. Reduce by half until syrupy and deeply flavored (~1 hour). This is the true base for most derivatives below.

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Diane

A cream-enriched demi-glace, precursor to modern peppercorn sauces.

Ingredient	Amount
Demi-glace	1 cup
Heavy cream	½ cup
Crushed black pepper	1 tsp
Butter	1 tbsp

Simmer demi-glace with pepper 5 min. Add cream, reduce until sauce coats a spoon (5–8 min). Finish with butter off heat.

Poivrade

A peppery hunter's sauce for game.

Ingredient	Amount
Mirepoix	½ cup, fine dice
Red wine vinegar	¼ cup
Dry white wine	½ cup
Demi-glace	1½ cups
Crushed black peppercorns	1 tbsp
Butter	2 tbsp

Sweat mirepoix in butter until soft. Add vinegar and wine, reduce by two-thirds. Add demi-glace and peppercorns, simmer 20 min. Strain through fine sieve, pressing on solids.

Salmis

A sauce built from roasted game bird carcasses.

Ingredient	Amount
Game bird carcass (duck, pheasant)	1, chopped
Red wine	1 cup
Demi-glace	1 cup
Mushroom essence or cooking liquid	¼ cup
Butter	2 tbsp

Brown carcass pieces in butter. Deglaze with wine, reduce by half. Add demi-glace and mushroom essence, simmer 30 min. Strain, pressing hard on bones. Finish with butter.

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Wine-based Derivatives

flowchart TD
    E["Espagnole<br/>(wine)"] --> Bordelaise
    Bordelaise --> Moelle
    E --> B["Bercy<br/>(Demi)"]
    E --> Diable
    E --> Bonnefoy
    E --> Madeira
    Madeira --> Périgueux
    Périgueux --> Périgourdine
    Madeira --> Financière
    E --> Porto

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Bordelaise · Moelle · Bercy (Demi) · Diable · Bonnefoy · Madeira · Périgueux · Périgourdine · Financière · Porto

Bordelaise

The quintessential red wine sauce for beef.

Ingredient	Amount
Shallots	2 tbsp, minced
Dry red wine (Bordeaux-style)	1 cup
Fresh thyme	2 sprigs
Bay leaf	1
Crushed black peppercorns	½ tsp
Demi-glace	1 cup
Butter	2 tbsp
Bone marrow	2 oz, poached and diced
Parsley	1 tbsp, chopped

1. Combine shallots, wine, thyme, bay leaf, and peppercorns in saucepan. Reduce by three-quarters (~15 min).
2. Add demi-glace, simmer 15–20 min until nappe consistency.
3. Strain through fine sieve. Return to low heat.
4. Whisk in cold butter. Add diced marrow and parsley just before serving.

Moelle

Same as Bordelaise, but bone marrow is featured prominently—larger pieces, more of it (4 oz), arranged atop the sauce rather than stirred in.

Bercy (Demi)

White wine version, also finished with marrow.

Ingredient	Amount
Shallots	2 tbsp, minced
Dry white wine	1 cup
Demi-glace	1 cup
Butter	2 tbsp
Bone marrow	2 oz, poached and diced
Parsley	1 tbsp, chopped

Same method as Bordelaise, substituting white wine for red.

Diable

The spicy brown sauce.

Ingredient	Amount
Shallots	2 tbsp, minced
Dry white wine	½ cup
White wine vinegar	¼ cup
Demi-glace	1 cup
Cayenne pepper	¼–½ tsp
Butter	1 tbsp

Combine shallots, wine, and vinegar. Reduce by two-thirds. Add demi-glace, simmer 10 min. Season with cayenne off heat. Strain and finish with butter.

Bonnefoy

White wine with tarragon.

Ingredient	Amount
Shallots	2 tbsp, minced
Dry white wine	1 cup
Demi-glace	1 cup
Fresh tarragon	1 tbsp, chopped
Butter	2 tbsp

Same reduction method as Bordelaise (white wine). Finish with tarragon and butter.

Madeira

Ingredient	Amount
Madeira wine	½ cup
Demi-glace	1 cup
Butter	2 tbsp

Reduce Madeira by half. Add demi-glace, simmer 10 min. Finish with butter.

Périgueux

Madeira + truffle.

Add 1 tbsp truffle essence and 1 oz minced black truffle to finished Madeira sauce.

Périgourdine

Périgueux + 1–2 oz foie gras, whisked in at the end.

Financière

Madeira + mushrooms.

Add 2 oz sliced sautéed mushrooms and 1 tbsp truffle essence to Madeira sauce.

Porto

Same as Madeira, substituting ruby or tawny port.

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Onion/Mustard-based Derivatives

flowchart TD
    E["Espagnole<br/>(onion/mustard)"] --> Robert
    E --> Lyonnaise
    Robert --> Charcutière
    Robert --> Piquante

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Robert · Lyonnaise · Charcutière · Piquante

Robert

The classic mustard sauce for pork, one of the oldest derivative sauces.

Ingredient	Amount
Onion	1 medium (~½ cup), fine dice
Butter	2 tbsp
Dry white wine	1 cup
Demi-glace	1½ cups
Dijon mustard	2 tbsp
Sugar	pinch
Lemon juice	1 tsp

1. Cook onion in butter until soft and translucent (not browned), ~5 min.
2. Add wine, reduce by two-thirds.
3. Add demi-glace, simmer 10 min.
4. Off heat, whisk in mustard (boiling destroys mustard's pungency), sugar, and lemon juice.
5. Strain if desired (traditionally unstrained).

Charcutière

Robert + cornichons.

Add 2 tbsp cornichons, julienned, to finished Robert sauce.

Piquante

Robert + pickled garnish.

Ingredient	Amount
Robert sauce	1 cup
White wine vinegar	1 tbsp
Cornichons	2 tbsp, chopped
Capers	1 tbsp
Tarragon	1 tsp, chopped
Chervil	1 tsp, chopped

Add vinegar to Robert sauce, simmer briefly. Stir in garnish off heat.

Lyonnaise

Caramelized onion sauce.

Ingredient	Amount
Onions	2 medium, thinly sliced
Butter	3 tbsp
Dry white wine	½ cup
White wine vinegar	2 tbsp
Demi-glace	1 cup

1. Caramelize onions in butter over medium-low heat until deep golden (20–30 min).
2. Add wine and vinegar, reduce by half.
3. Add demi-glace, simmer 10 min.
4. Serve unstrained (onions are part of the sauce).

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Tomato-based Derivatives

flowchart TD
    E["Espagnole<br/>(Tomato)"] --> Chasseur
    E --> P["Provençale<br/>(Demi)"]

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Chasseur · Provençale (Demi)

Chasseur

Hunter's sauce—mushrooms, tomato, tarragon.

Ingredient	Amount
Mushrooms	4 oz, sliced
Shallots	2 tbsp, minced
Butter	2 tbsp
Dry white wine	½ cup
Tomato concassée	½ cup (2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, diced)
Demi-glace	1 cup
Tarragon	1 tbsp, chopped
Parsley	1 tbsp, chopped

1. Sauté mushrooms in butter until golden. Add shallots, cook 1 min.
2. Add wine, reduce by half.
3. Add tomato concassée and demi-glace. Simmer 10 min.
4. Finish with tarragon and parsley.

Provençale (Demi)

Mediterranean-inflected brown sauce.

Ingredient	Amount
Demi-glace	1 cup
Tomato concassée	½ cup
Garlic	2 cloves, minced
Black olives	2 tbsp, chopped
Anchovy paste	1 tsp
Herbes de Provence	1 tsp
Olive oil	1 tbsp

Sauté garlic in olive oil briefly. Add remaining ingredients, simmer 15 min.

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Fruit-based Derivatives

flowchart TD
    E["Espagnole<br/>(Fruit)"] --> Bigarade
    E --> Cerises

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Bigarade · Cerises

Bigarade

Classic orange sauce for duck.

Ingredient	Amount
Bitter orange juice (or regular orange + lemon)	½ cup
Orange zest	from 1 orange, julienned and blanched
Lemon juice	2 tbsp
Sugar	2 tbsp
Red wine vinegar	1 tbsp
Demi-glace	1 cup
Duck drippings (optional)	2 tbsp

1. Blanch orange zest in boiling water 2 min, drain.
2. Make gastrique: cook sugar until amber, add vinegar carefully.
3. Add orange juice, lemon juice, and demi-glace. Simmer 10 min.
4. Add blanched zest and drippings if using.

Cerises

Cherry sauce for game.

Ingredient	Amount
Demi-glace	1 cup
Cherry juice or kirsch	¼ cup
Fresh or canned cherries	½ cup, pitted
Red wine vinegar	1 tbsp
Butter	1 tbsp

Combine demi-glace, cherry juice, and vinegar. Simmer 10 min. Add cherries, warm through. Finish with butter.

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Tomato

The only mother sauce where the main ingredient provides both flavor and body.

flowchart TD
    T[Tomato] --> Portuguese
    T --> P["Provençale<br/>(Tomato)"]
    T --> Creole
    T --> B["BBQ<br/>(USA Derivative)"]

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Portuguese · Provençale (Tomato) · Creole · BBQ

Base Recipe

Yield: ~1 quart

Ingredient	Amount
Salt pork or bacon	2 oz, diced
Onion	1 medium, diced
Carrot	1 medium, diced
Tomatoes	2 lbs fresh (or 28 oz canned)
Tomato paste	2 tbsp
Bay leaf	1
Fresh thyme	2 sprigs
Sugar	1 tsp
Salt and pepper	to taste
Roux (optional)	2 tbsp butter + 2 tbsp flour

Method:

1. Render salt pork. Add onion and carrot, cook until softened (8–10 min).
2. Add tomatoes (crushed) and tomato paste. Add bay leaf and thyme.
3. Simmer 45 min–1 hour, stirring occasionally.
4. If using roux for body, make separately and whisk in; simmer 15 min more.
5. Remove herbs. Pass through food mill or strain, pressing on solids.
6. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper.

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Portuguese

Ingredient	Amount
Tomato sauce	1 cup
Onion	½ cup, diced and sweated
Garlic	2 cloves, minced
Fresh tomato concassée	½ cup
Parsley	2 tbsp, chopped

Sweat onion until soft. Add garlic, cook 1 min. Combine with tomato sauce and concassée. Simmer 10 min. Finish with parsley.

Provençale (Tomato)

Ingredient	Amount
Tomato sauce	1 cup
Garlic	3 cloves, minced
Olive oil	2 tbsp
Parsley	2 tbsp, chopped

Sauté garlic in olive oil until fragrant (not browned). Add tomato sauce, simmer 10 min. Finish with parsley.

Creole

The holy trinity enters French sauce-making.

Ingredient	Amount
Onion	½ cup, diced
Celery	¼ cup, diced
Green bell pepper	¼ cup, diced
Garlic	2 cloves, minced
Tomato sauce	1½ cups
Bay leaf	1
Cayenne	pinch
Butter or oil	2 tbsp

Sweat trinity vegetables in butter until soft (10 min). Add garlic, cook 1 min. Add tomato sauce, bay leaf, and cayenne. Simmer 20 min.

BBQ (USA Derivative)

American parallel evolution.

Ingredient	Amount
Tomato sauce	1 cup
Apple cider vinegar	¼ cup
Brown sugar	¼ cup
Worcestershire	2 tbsp
Paprika	1 tbsp
Cumin	1 tsp
Garlic powder	1 tsp
Onion powder	1 tsp
Cayenne	½ tsp
Mustard (optional)	1 tbsp

Combine all ingredients. Simmer 20–30 min until thickened.

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Hollandaise

An emulsion of egg yolks and clarified butter, the trickiest of the mother sauces to execute.

flowchart TD
    H[Hollandaise] --> B[Béarnaise]
    B --> Choron
    B --> Paloise
    B --> Foyot
    H --> Mousseline
    H --> Maltaise
    H --> Noisette
    H --> Crème-Fleurette[Crème Fleurette]

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Béarnaise · Choron · Paloise · Foyot · Mousseline · Maltaise · Noisette · Crème Fleurette

Base Recipe

Yield: ~1 cup

Ingredient	Amount
Egg yolks	3 large
Clarified butter	¾ cup (12 tbsp), hot
Lemon juice	1 tbsp
Water	1 tbsp
Salt	¼ tsp
Cayenne	pinch

Traditional Method:

1. Whisk yolks and water in a stainless steel bowl until doubled in volume.
2. Set bowl over simmering water (double boiler—bowl should not touch water).
3. Whisk vigorously until mixture thickens slightly and reaches 140–150°F (pale, frothy, leaves trails).
4. Remove from heat. Drizzle in hot clarified butter very slowly, whisking constantly.
5. Season with lemon juice, salt, and cayenne. Serve immediately.

Blender Method (foolproof):

1. Blend yolks, lemon juice, salt, and cayenne 5 seconds.
2. With blender running, slowly stream in hot butter over ~1 minute.
3. Adjust seasoning.

Ratio: ~4 tbsp clarified butter per egg yolk. Maximum 6 tbsp per yolk before sauce becomes too rich to emulsify properly.

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Béarnaise

The tarragon-inflected steak sauce.

Ingredient	Amount
Reduction:
Shallot	1 tbsp, minced
White wine vinegar	¼ cup
Dry white wine	¼ cup
Tarragon stems	from 4 sprigs
Crushed white peppercorns	½ tsp
Sauce:
Egg yolks	3
Clarified butter	¾ cup, hot
Fresh tarragon	1 tbsp, chopped
Fresh chervil	1 tsp, chopped
Salt	to taste

1. Combine reduction ingredients. Simmer until reduced to ~1½ tbsp (5–7 min). Strain through fine sieve, pressing on solids. Cool slightly.
2. Whisk yolks with reduction over double boiler until thick and pale.
3. Remove from heat. Slowly drizzle in butter, whisking constantly.
4. Stir in fresh tarragon and chervil. Season.

Choron

Béarnaise + tomato.

Add 2 tbsp tomato purée or reduced tomato concassée to finished Béarnaise.

Paloise

Mint replaces tarragon throughout—in reduction and as garnish. Classic with lamb.

Ingredient	Amount
Reduction:
Shallot	1 tbsp, minced
White wine vinegar	¼ cup
Dry white wine	¼ cup
Fresh mint stems	from 4 sprigs
Crushed white peppercorns	½ tsp
Sauce:
Egg yolks	3
Clarified butter	¾ cup, hot
Fresh mint	1 tbsp, chopped
Salt	to taste

Follow the same method as Béarnaise, replacing tarragon with mint throughout.

Foyot

Béarnaise + meat glaze.

Add 1 tbsp glace de viande to finished Béarnaise. For red meat.

Mousseline

Hollandaise lightened with cream.

Fold ¼ cup whipped cream into 1 cup Hollandaise just before service.

Maltaise

Blood orange Hollandaise. Seasonal; classic with asparagus.

Replace lemon juice with blood orange juice. Add 1 tsp blood orange zest.

Noisette

Hollandaise made with brown butter.

Use beurre noisette (butter cooked until milk solids brown) instead of clarified butter. Nutty, complex flavor.

Crème Fleurette

Hollandaise + crème fraîche.

Stir 2–3 tbsp crème fraîche into finished Hollandaise.

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Béchamel

The white sauce—milk thickened with roux. The simplest mother sauce and among the most versatile.

flowchart TD
    B[Béchamel] --> Mornay
    B --> Cream
    B --> S[Soubise]
    S --> ST["Soubise Tomatée"]
    B --> N["Nantua<br/>(Béchamel)"]
    B --> A["Anchovy<br/>(Béchamel)"]
    B --> Egg-Sauce[Egg Sauce]
    B --> Mustard
    B --> Caper
    B --> C["Cardinal<br/>(Béchamel)"]

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Mornay · Cream Sauce · Soubise · Soubise Tomatée · Nantua (Béchamel) · Anchovy (Béchamel) · Egg Sauce · Mustard Sauce · Caper Sauce · Cardinal (Béchamel)

Base Recipe

Yield: ~2 cups

Ingredient	Amount
Butter	3 tbsp
All-purpose flour	3 tbsp
Whole milk	2 cups
Onion piqué (onion studded with bay leaf and 2 cloves)	1
Salt	½ tsp
White pepper	pinch
Nutmeg	pinch (optional)

Ratio: 1 tbsp butter : 1 tbsp flour : 1 cup milk for medium-bodied sauce. Adjust for thicker/thinner.

Method:

1. Optional: Warm milk with onion piqué to 180°F, steep 10 min, discard onion.
2. Melt butter over medium heat. Add flour, whisk to form smooth paste (white roux).
3. Cook roux 2–3 min, stirring constantly—do not brown. Should smell faintly nutty.
4. Add milk gradually, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.
5. Bring to simmer. Cook 10–15 min, stirring often, until raw flour taste cooks out.
6. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Strain if needed.

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Mornay

The cheese sauce.

Ingredient	Amount
Béchamel	1 cup
Gruyère, grated	¼ cup
Parmesan, grated	2 tbsp
Egg yolks (optional)	1
Butter	1 tbsp

Off heat, whisk cheese into hot Béchamel until melted. Add yolk if using (for richer sauce and better browning). Finish with butter.

Cream Sauce

Simply Béchamel enriched with cream.

Add ¼ cup heavy cream to 1 cup Béchamel. Reduce slightly to thicken.

Soubise

Onion-enriched Béchamel.

Ingredient	Amount
Onions	2 large, thinly sliced
Butter	3 tbsp
Béchamel	1 cup
Heavy cream	2 tbsp

Sweat onions in butter until completely soft (20–30 min, no color). Purée or pass through sieve. Combine with Béchamel and cream.

Soubise Tomatée

Add 2 tbsp tomato purée to Soubise.

Nantua (Béchamel)

Crayfish sauce.

Ingredient	Amount
Béchamel	1 cup
Heavy cream	¼ cup
Crayfish butter	2 tbsp
Cooked crayfish tails	¼ cup, diced
Cayenne	pinch

Finish hot Béchamel with cream, crayfish butter, and cayenne. Garnish with crayfish tails.

Anchovy (Béchamel)

Add 1–2 tbsp anchovy butter or 2 tsp anchovy paste to 1 cup Béchamel.

Egg Sauce

Add 2 hard-boiled eggs, diced, to 1 cup Béchamel. British classic with smoked haddock.

Mustard Sauce

Add 1–2 tbsp Dijon mustard to 1 cup Béchamel, off heat.

Caper Sauce

Add 2 tbsp capers (drained) to 1 cup Béchamel.

Cardinal (Béchamel)

Luxurious shellfish sauce.

Ingredient	Amount
Béchamel	1 cup
Fish stock	¼ cup
Heavy cream	¼ cup
Lobster butter	2 tbsp
Cayenne	pinch
Black truffle	1 tbsp, diced

Reduce fish stock by half. Add to Béchamel with cream. Finish with lobster butter, cayenne, and truffle.

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Velouté (Fish)

A light, velvety sauce built on fish fumet. Lighter in color and body than chicken velouté.

flowchart TD
    V[Velouté Fish] --> N[Normande]
    N --> NV["Nantua<br/>(Velouté)"]
    N --> CV["Cardinal<br/>(Velouté)"]
    V --> VB[Vin Blanc]
    VB --> VBB["Bercy<br/>(Velouté)"]
    VB --> Venetian
    VB --> Saint-Malo
    V --> Crevettes
    V --> Homard
    V --> VA["Anchovy<br/>(Velouté)"]

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Normande · Nantua (Velouté) · Cardinal (Velouté) · Vin Blanc · Bercy (Velouté) · Venetian · Saint-Malo · Crevettes · Homard · Anchovy (Velouté)

Base Recipe

Yield: ~2 cups

Ingredient	Amount
Fish fumet	2 cups
Butter	2 tbsp
All-purpose flour	2 tbsp
Salt and white pepper	to taste

Method:

1. Make blonde roux: melt butter, whisk in flour, cook 2–3 min without browning.
2. Gradually whisk in fumet.
3. Simmer 20–30 min, skimming as needed.
4. Strain through fine sieve. Season.

Ratio: 1 tbsp each butter and flour per cup of stock for medium body.

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Normande

The rich fish sauce, finished with liaison.

Ingredient	Amount
Fish velouté	1 cup
Mushroom cooking liquid	¼ cup
Mussel cooking liquid	¼ cup
Fish fumet	¼ cup
Egg yolk	1
Heavy cream	¼ cup
Butter	2 tbsp

1. Combine velouté with mushroom, mussel, and fish liquids. Reduce by one-third.
2. Temper yolk with cream. Whisk into sauce off heat (do not boil after adding liaison).
3. Finish with butter.

Nantua (Velouté)

Normande + crayfish butter + crayfish tails. (Same additions as Béchamel version.)

Ingredient	Amount
Normande sauce	1 cup
Crayfish butter	2 tbsp
Cooked crayfish tails	¼ cup, diced
Cayenne	pinch

Finish Normande with crayfish butter and cayenne. Garnish with crayfish tails.

Cardinal (Velouté)

Normande + lobster butter + cayenne + diced truffle.

Ingredient	Amount
Normande sauce	1 cup
Lobster butter	2 tbsp
Cayenne	pinch
Black truffle	1 tbsp, diced

Finish Normande with lobster butter, cayenne, and truffle.

Vin Blanc

White wine fish sauce.

Ingredient	Amount
Fish velouté	1 cup
Fish fumet	¼ cup
Dry white wine	¼ cup
Butter	2 tbsp

Reduce fumet and wine together by half. Add velouté. Simmer 5 min. Finish by swirling in butter (monter au beurre).

Bercy (Velouté)

Vin Blanc + shallots + parsley.

Ingredient	Amount
Vin Blanc sauce	1 cup
Shallots	1 tbsp, minced
Parsley	1 tbsp, chopped

Add shallots to wine reduction before combining with velouté. Finish with parsley.

Venetian

Ingredient	Amount
Fish velouté	1 cup
Tarragon vinegar	2 tbsp
Shallots	1 tbsp, minced
Chervil	1 tbsp, chopped
Herb butter	2 tbsp

Reduce vinegar with shallots by half. Add velouté. Finish with herb butter and chervil.

Saint-Malo

Vin Blanc + mustard + anchovy.

Add 1 tsp Dijon mustard and ½ tsp anchovy essence to Vin Blanc sauce. Finish with butter.

Crevettes (Shrimp)

Ingredient	Amount
Fish velouté	1 cup
Heavy cream	¼ cup
Shrimp butter	2 tbsp
Cayenne	pinch

Finish velouté with cream, shrimp butter, and cayenne.

Homard (Lobster)

Same as Crevettes, substituting lobster butter.

Anchovy (Velouté)

Add 1–2 tbsp anchovy butter to 1 cup fish velouté.

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Velouté, Suprême (Chicken)

A richer velouté, elevated with cream and often mushroom essence.

flowchart TD
    S[Suprême] --> A[Allemande]
    A --> Poulette
    A --> Aurora
    A --> Estragon
    S --> Albufera
    S --> Mushroom
    S --> Hongroise
    S --> Ivoire

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Allemande · Poulette · Aurora · Estragon · Albufera · Mushroom Sauce · Hongroise · Ivoire

Base Recipe

Yield: ~2 cups

Ingredient	Amount
Chicken stock (fond blanc de volaille)	2 cups
Butter	2 tbsp
All-purpose flour	2 tbsp

Same method as fish velouté. Use blonde roux and light chicken stock (bones not roasted).

Suprême

Ingredient	Amount
Chicken velouté	1 cup
Mushroom cooking liquid	¼ cup
Heavy cream	¼ cup
Butter	1 tbsp
Lemon juice	squeeze

Reduce velouté with mushroom liquid by one-quarter. Add cream, reduce until sauce coats spoon. Finish with butter and lemon.

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Allemande

Velouté enriched with egg liaison. Also called Parisienne.

Ingredient	Amount
Chicken or veal velouté	1 cup
Egg yolk	1
Heavy cream	2 tbsp
Lemon juice	1 tsp
Butter	1 tbsp

Reduce velouté slightly. Temper yolk with cream. Whisk into sauce off heat. Add lemon juice and butter.

Poulette

Allemande + mushrooms + parsley + lemon.

Add ¼ cup sliced sautéed mushrooms, 1 tbsp parsley, and extra lemon juice to Allemande.

Aurora

Allemande + tomato.

Add 2 tbsp tomato purée to finished Allemande.

Estragon

Allemande + tarragon.

Infuse velouté with tarragon stems while reducing. Finish with 1 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves.

Albufera

Suprême with a blush of meat glaze.

Ingredient	Amount
Suprême sauce	1 cup
Meat glaze	1 tsp
Pimento butter	1 tbsp

Add just enough glaze to tint. Finish with pimento butter.

Mushroom Sauce

Ingredient	Amount
Suprême sauce	1 cup
Mushroom cooking liquid	¼ cup
Sliced mushrooms, sautéed	¼ cup

Reduce suprême with mushroom liquid. Add mushrooms.

Hongroise

Hungarian-style—paprika and onion.

Ingredient	Amount
Suprême sauce	1 cup
Onion	2 tbsp, minced and sweated
Sweet paprika	1 tbsp
Dry white wine	¼ cup

Sweat onion with paprika (don't burn). Add wine, reduce by half. Combine with suprême.

Ivoire

Suprême tinted ivory with minimal meat glaze.

Add just ½–1 tsp meat glaze to suprême—enough to tint but not add strong meat flavor. For elegant poultry presentations.