Sauces - 9780847819706

A superb sauce can transform even the simplest dish into an impressive creation. A chef can only claim to be master of his craft if he is an accomplished sauce-maker, so who better than Michel Roux to provide the ultimate guide to the art of sauce-making? Classic French sauces sometimes require 20 hours of preparation and hugely expensive ingredients - both unrealistic for today's home cooks. Roux's up-to-the-minute interpretations of such classics as Bordelaise and Mayonnaise sauces demystify the alchemy of sauce-making in a way that is both practical and accessible to the reader. This is the definitive sauce book for the modern home cook.
Mindful of today's concern with lighter, less rich dishes, Roux has adapted many classic sauces to modern tastes. Vegetables have replaced flour as a thickening agent, and light stocks are used in place of dense reductions. Many time-saving, no-cook, sauces are also included. He incorporates exciting ingredients from all over the world: coconut, lemon grass, coriander, and Asian fish sauce all find their way into his innovative sauces and dressings.
Over 200 recipes, many with illustrated step-by-step instructions, explain simply and clearly the techniques and methods of sauce-making. Divided into ten chapters, the book covers basic stocks, flavored butters and vegetable coulis, delicate sauces for fish and seafood, classic white and brown sauces, as well as emulsion sauces to complement meat and poultry. There are flavored oils and vinegars, plus a wealth of original and unusual vinaigrettes to give salads a lift. Sweet sauces for fruit and desserts complete the picture. Each chapter begins with an informative and personal introduction by Michel Roux, clearly conveying his infectious enthusiasm for sauce-making. The reader's appetite is further whetted by Martin Brigdale's superb photographs, which illustrate sauce preparation as well as many finished dishes.