The Five Mother Sauces of Classical Cuisine

Most Italian chefs will tell you the sauce makes all the difference. But what they don't tell you is that to achieve the perfect texture and taste, it takes a lot of work. So, where do you start? In culinary school, they will teach you about the mother of sauces of classical cuisine. It starts with five basic sauces, which transform into various secondary sauces. They are called mother sauces because each one is the main component in a unique family of sauces.

Bechamel Sauce:
The French term, Bechamel, is your simple, classic white sauce. It's made with a roux of butter and flour cooked milk. Knowing how to make this simple sauce can be a big help in the kitchen. Once you know the basics, you will be able to make casseroles, souffles, and many other recipes. You can even turn it into a pasta sauce, with a little extra liquid and some herbs.



Espagnole Sauce:
This is your brown sauce. As a mother sauce, it serves as the starting point for many derivative sauces, including the traditional demi-glace. It is make from simmering a mirepoix of vegetables, tomato puree, herbs, and beef stock. When you first try this recipe, the taste might not come out as expected. You have to remember that this base sauce is better used as a gateway sauce. Once you find your favorite additions, the Espagnole sauce tastes great on different types of meat dishes.

Veloute Sauce:
Not to be confused with the classic white sauce, the Veloute is a stock-based white sauce. It can be made from chicken, veal, or fish stock. This is also another important skill to learn if you are a new cook. You can prepare other sauces just by adding a few simple ingredients. One delicious dish is actually soup, thickened with egg yolks, butter, and cream.


Hollandaise Sauce:
We see this sauce in a lot of our dishes, including my favorite, eggs benedict. It's a tangy, buttery sauce made by slowly whisking clarified butter into warm egg yolks. Unlike some of the mother sauces, the Hollandaise sauce is great on its own, but it's also the base sauce for many known secondary sauces, like Dijon and Bearnaise.

Tomato Sauce:
Finally a sauce we recognize! Although we can find tomato sauce pre-packaged at the grocery store, this base sauce is slightly different, even though it's mostly served over pizza or pasta. The key is fresh tomatoes. The ripe tomatoes will help thicken the sauce without the help of a roux.

Cooking Tips:

• Constantly stir roux-thickened sauces while cooking to prevent lumps. If you must leave the sauce. If you must leave the sauce for a few seconds, set the pan off the heat during that time.
• Don't add too much seasoning, especially salt, until the sauce is finished cooking.
• If a roux-thickened sauce develops a few lumps, beat them out with a rotary beater or wire whisk.
• The key is slow cooking. Simmer the sauce and stir occasionally until ready.

Start your culinary adventure with these basic sauces and you will be creating amazing new dishes in no time!  Happy Cooking!