Culinary

Stocks, Sauces, & Soups

Stocks

Definition- Clear, unthickened liquid from bones, mirepoix, sachet d’epice, and water.

Collagen- Provides body and flavor to stock, extracted from bones.

Techniques for preparing bones

Blanching Bones- Boiling raw bones to remove impurities. 

Roasting Bones- Baking bones for up to an hour for flavor and impurity removal.

Sweating Bones- Cooking bones in oil/fat to release natural flavors.

Depouiller- Skimming impurities from the stock.

Pincage- Cooking tomato paste to a burnt orange color for flavor.

Chinois- Fine-mesh conical strainer for straining stock.

Key ingredients 

Mirepoix- Onions, carrots, celery

Sachet d’epice- A pouch of bay leaf, thyme, peppercorns, and parsley stems.

Bouquet garni- A bundle of herbs tied together. Thy: Thymeery, carrot, and bay leaf.

Sauces

Definition- Liquid or semi-solid used to add moisture, flavor, and visual appeal to food.

Grand sauces- Serve as the base for other sauces.

Espagnole- Traditional brown sauce that’s made with dark roux + beef/veal stock.

Demi-glace- Equal parts Espagnole and beef stock.

Hollandaise- Egg yolks, clarified butter, lemon juice, salt, cayenne/white pepper.

Bechamel- White roux + milk, salt, and white pepper.

Tomato Sauce- Tomato, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.

Veloute- Blond roux + light stock (chicken/fish) + salt/white pepper.

Thickening Agents

Roux- Equal parts flour and fat cooked together. (white, blond, or dark.)

Beuree Manie- Uncooked mixture of flour and butter; added at the end of cooking.

Slurry- Cornstarch or arrowfoot mixed with liquid.

Liaison- Heavy cream and egg yolk are added at the end of cooking.

Key Techniques

Reduction- Simmering to concentrate flavors flavor and remove excess liquid.

Nappe- Sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.

Onion pique- Onion with bay leaf and cloves used for flavoring.

Soups

Clear soups- Thin soups such as broth and consomme. (Broth contains meat and bones. Consomme is clarified broth with enhanced flavors.)

Clear meat mixture- Made of lean meat, mirepoix, acid, egg whites, sachet d’epice, and salt.

Thick soups- Puree soups are naturally thickened with the main ingredients. Cream soups are thickened with roux or similar agents.

Key terms

Raft- Flim formed by egg whites during consomme preparation to attract impurities.

Food mil- Tool for pureeing soups and sauces.

Au sec- Reducing liquid until nearly evaporated.

Glace- Smooth, thick reduction of stock for flavoring.
Jus- Pan drippings with stock and mirepoix.

Remoullage- Weak stock made from previously used bones