1. Bachemel
1.1. Ingredients
1.1.1. 3 tablespoons (45 ml) butter
1.1.2. 3 tablespoons (45 ml) flour
1.1.3. 2 cups (500 ml) milk
1.1.4. 1/2 onion, finely chopped
1.1.5. 1 pinch nutmeg
1.2. STEP 1: Measure 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of butter and 45 ml (3 tablespoons) of flour per 500 ml (2 cups) of milk.
1.2.1. STEP 2: Melt the butter over medium heat in a saucepan, add 1/2 chopped onion and stir until tender and almost translucent (looks like you can see through them!).
1.2.1.1. STEP 3; Sprinkle the flour on the butter and onion and stir with a whisk.
1.2.1.1.1. STEP 4; Let the butter and flour mixture cook for 1 minute over medium heat, whisking constantly. That way, your bechamel won’t taste like flour. This step is called making a roux. The roux is used to thicken your milk and give you a nice creamy sauce.
2. Veloute
2.1. Ingredients
2.1.1. 2 cups of chicken (fish or veal stock)
2.1.2. 4 tbsp of flour
2.1.3. 4 tbsp of butter
2.1.4. salt and pepper
2.2. STEP 1:In a medium sized saucepan melt the butter.
2.2.1. STEP 2:Remove the pan from the stove and quickly stir in the flour.
2.2.1.1. STEP 3: Return the pan to the heat and cook the paste mixture, stirring frequently until it turns pale and straw-like in colour. This should take several minutes
2.2.1.1.1. STEP 4 : Take the pan off the heat again and whisk or stir in half of the stock. Make sure that the paste has dissolved and a liquid has formed without any lumps
3. Espagnole
3.1. Ingredients
3.1.1. Mirepoix: 4 oz/112g onions, 2 oz/56g celery, 2 oz/56g carrots
3.1.2. 2 oz/56g butter
3.1.3. 2 oz/56g flour
3.1.4. 2 oz/56g Tomato Puree
3.1.5. Sachet Containing: 1/2 Bay Leaf, 2-3 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme, 2-3 Sprigs Parsley
3.1.6. 1.5-2 qts/1.5-2L Roasted Veal Stock
3.2. STEP 1: Start by roasting your mirepoix over medium heat, in the bottom of a heavy bottom sauce pot with the butter, until the mirepoix turns a nice golden brown.
3.2.1. STEP 2: Once your mirepoix has browned, add in your tomato puree and continue roasting for 2-3 more minutes.
3.2.1.1. STEP 3: Sprinkle in your flour, and cook until the flour is well incorporated into the other ingredients (about 5 more minutes).
3.2.1.1.1. STEP 4: Add your roasted veal stock and sachet.
4. Tomato
4.1. Ingredients
4.1.1. 1 cup olive oil
4.1.2. 13 cloves garlic
4.1.3. One 96-ounce can (or, if you can find it, 1-kg) or four 28-ounce cans Italian tomatoes
4.1.4. Large pinch of red pepper flakes
4.1.5. 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
4.2. STEP 1: Combine the olive oil and garlic in a large deep saucepan and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes, stirring or swirling occasionally, until the garlic is deeply colored—striations of deep brown running through golden cloves—and fragrant. If the garlic starts to smell acrid or sharp or is taking on color quickly, pull the pan off the stove and reduce the heat.
4.2.1. STEP 2: While the garlic is getting golden, deal with the tomatoes: Pour them into a bowl and crush them with your hands. We like to pull out the firmer stem end from each of the tomatoes as we crush them and discard those along with the basil leaves that are packed into a can.
4.2.1.1. STEP 3: When the garlic is just about done, add the red pepper flakes to the oil and cook them for 30 seconds or a minute, to infuse their flavor and spice into the oil. Dump in the tomatoes, add the salt, and stir well. Turn the heat up to medium, get the sauce simmering at a gentle pace, not aggressively, and simmer for 4 hours. Stir it from time to time. Mother it a little bit.
4.2.1.1.1. STEP 4: Check the sauce for salt at the end. The sauce can be cooked with meat at this point, or stored, covered, in the fridge for at least 4 days or frozen for up to a few months
5. Hollandaise
5.1. Ingredients
5.1.1. 3 egg yolks (see how to separate eggs)
5.1.2. 1 tablespoon lemon juice
5.1.3. 1/2 teaspoon salt
5.1.4. 1/8 teaspoon cayenne (optional)
5.1.5. 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (if using salted butter, skip the added salt)
5.2. STEP 1: Melt the butter slowly in a small pot. Try not to let it boil – you want the moisture in the butter to remain there and not steam away.
5.2.1. STEP 2: Add the egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne (if using) into your blender. Blend the egg yolk mixture at a medium to medium high speed until it lightens in color, about 20-30 seconds. The friction generated by the blender blades will heat the yolks a bit. The blending action will also introduce a little air into them, making your hollandaise a bit lighter
5.2.1.1. STEP 3: Once the yolks have lightened in color, turn the blender down to its lowest setting (if you only have one speed on your blender it will still work), and drizzle in the hot melted butter slowly, while the blender is going. Continue to buzz for another couple seconds after the butter is all incorporated.
5.2.1.1.1. STEP 4: Turn off the blender and taste the sauce. It should be buttery, lemony and just lightly salty. If it is not salty or lemony enough, you can add a little lemon juice or salt to taste. If you want a thinner consistency, add a little warm water. Pulse briefly to incorporate the ingredients one more time.