Cookery for every household

Brown sauce and white sauce may be called the two principal foundation sauces, and by the addition to one or other of these of some special ingredient, wine, essence, herbs, acid, condiment, &c., many other sauces take their distinctive name. A thorough knowledge of how to make these two sauces is therefore the beginning of all saucemaking. 670. Brown Sauce (Sauce Espagnole) 1 oz. butter. 1 oz. flour. 1 pt. brown stock. 1 small onion. A small piece of carrot and turnip. 1 stick of celery or £ tea-sp. celery seed. 1 dessert-sp. mushroom ketchup. A bouquet garni. 3 or 4 cloves. A blade of mace. 12 black peppercorns. Salt. Melt the butter in a saucepan and let it brown. Add the onion, cut in thin slices, and stir constantly until it is brown also. Then add the flour, and stir a minute or two longer. Upon the thorough browning of these three ingredients, without allowing them to burn, depends, to a large extent, the good colour of the sauce. When this is accomplished draw the saucepan to the side of the fire and pour in the stock, and stir over the fire until boiling. Boil for a few minutes, and remove all scum with an iron spoon. Have the other vegetables prepared and cut small, and add them next with the bouquet garni, or bunch of herbs, and the seasonings. If celery seed is used, tie it in a piece of muslin. Simmer the sauce slowly for at least half an hour, stirring occasionally, and skimming when necessary. Strain through a fine strainer or tammy-cloth, and reheat before using. Notes. — If the stock used is already wellflavoured, some of the vegetables and seasonings may be omitted. A few chopped mushrooms or mushroom trimmings, a little chopped ham, and a sliced tomato may be added, also a little wine if wished. This sauce forms the foundation for a number of other brown sauces. 671. A Simple White Sauce (Sauce Blanche) | oz. butter. i White pepper. Salt. | oz. flour. | pt. milk. J A squeeze of lemon juice. SIMPLE HOT AND FOUNDATION SAUCES SEASONED MILK FOR SAUCES This is frequently required in the making of sauces, especially for white sauce, t» which it Melt the butter in a small lined saucepan, add the flour, and mix smoothly with a wooden spoon. Cook for a minute or two over the fire without discolouring, then draw the pan to the side and pour in the milk. Return to the fire, and keep stirring constantly until boiling. Boil for two or three minutes so as to thoroughly cook the flour, and season to taste with white pepper and salt. Remove the pan from the fire before adding the lemon juice. Notes. — The sauce will be very much improved by having an extra piece of butter stirred in at the last, when the saucepan has been removed from the fire. This will give it a smooth and creamy taste not to be obtained in any other way. Cornflour is sometimes used instead of the ordinary flour. More or less milk may be added according to the thickness of the sauce required. A plainer sauce can be made by using half milk and half water. 672. A Richer White Sauce (Sauce Bechamel) 1 oz. butter. 1 oz. flour. 3 gills seasoned milk. 2 table-sps. cream. White pepper, salt. A squeeze of lemon juice.