How to Make Basic Sauces

Basic sauces are the foundation for many recipes, and learning to make them is an important cooking skill. Once you master the basic sauces, you can vary the ingredients and create many distinctive sauces to bring out the best in almost any recipe.

Things You'll Need

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 medium onion, chopped finely
• 2 large cans whole tomatoes
• 1 small can tomato paste
• Water
• Salt and pepper
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1 tbsp. butter
• 1 cup milk
• White pepper and salt to taste
• 4 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• ½ cup melted butter
• 1/8 tsp. cayenne
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 3 cups meat or chicken stock
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup dry sherry or wine
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tbsp. chopped parsley
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• Salt to taste

Instructions

Basic Tomato Sauce

1. Put the olive oil in a saucepan and heat it over low heat.

2. Add the onion and garlic and cook until barely soft, stirring constantly.

3. Add the tomato paste and cook, continuing to stir occasionally, for two minutes.

4. Fill the tomato paste can about half-full with water and add it to the mixture. Fill the can to the top, for a thinner sauce.

5. Crush the canned tomatoes and add them to the mixture. Bring it to a boil, stirring often.

6. Add salt and pepper to taste.

7. Lower heat and allow the mixture to simmer for 25 to 30 minutes.

Basic White Sauce (Bechamel)

1. Mix all ingredients except butter with a mixer, blender or whisk.

2. Cook the mixture in a saucepan over low heat.

3. Stir the mixture constantly until thick.

4. Season the mixture with salt and pepper.

Basic Hollandaise Sauce

1. Whisk the eggs yolks and lemon juice in a double boiler until the mixture has thickened and is approximately double in volume.

2. Add water to the bottom of the double boiler and heat it to a simmer. Continue to whisk the mixture in the double boiler. Cook gradually, and don't let the eggs to get too hot, or they will scramble.

3. Pour the melted butter into the mixture very slowly, whisking until the mixture is again doubled in volume.

4. Remove mixture from heat and whisk in salt and cayenne.

5. Keep the Hollandaise sauce warm and covered, until ready to use.

Basic Brown Sauce

1. Put all of the ingredients in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.

2. Cool the mixture, then refrigerate.

3. Use mixture as needed. Recipe makes about 2 pt. of brown sauce.

Tips & Warnings

• For a thinner sauce, add less butter and flour. For a thicker sauce, add more butter and flour.

• To make cheese sauce, add 1/2 cup cubed cheddar cheese to the mixture in the saucepan.

• When making Hollandaise sauce, use a double boiler and don't allow the water in the bottom to boil, but keep it simmering lightly. Reduce the heat or add a little cold water if it begins to boil.

• If you don't have a double boiler, you can substitute by using a stainless steel bowl placed over a saucepan with simmering water. Don't let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.

• Make Sauce Diable by adding 1 tbsp. of Dijon mustard and a few dashes of tabasco sauce to the brown sauce.