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CREAM OR WHITE SAUCE.— Cream or white
sauces are made with butter or margarine, flour, and
milk and have many variations. These sauces must be
cooked over low heat. They require constant stirring to
avoid scorching. The sauce is cooked until it coats the
back of the spoon.
Thin and medium white sauces are used to bind
ingredients together in scalloped meat, fish, egg, and
vegetable dishes. Medium white sauce may also be
served over food.
BUTTER SAUCES.— A white sauce with a high
percentage of butter and little or no seasoning other than
salt is considered a butter sauce. This sauce is used
principally with green vegetables, such as asparagus and
broccoli, and with fish and shellfish.
OTHER SAUCES.— Sauces served with meat,
chicken, seafood, omelets, and spaghetti are prepared
according to recipes in the AFRS. Also, commercially
prepared sauce mixes are available. These include basic
tomato, sweet and sour, cheese, barbecue, taco, and
enchilada sauces. Directions for use are found on the
containers. Some examples of sauces and their uses are
as follows:
Sweet, thickened:
Raisin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baked ham
Pineapple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Baked ham
Unsweetened, thickened:
Hot mustard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ham
Tomato . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Veal steaks
Stuffed green peppers
Uncooked, unthickened:
Tartar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. Seafood
Seafood cocktail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seafood
Cooked, unthickened:
Barbecue . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Beef, pork
Spaghetti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Spaghetti
Gravies
Any gravy served should go with the food it is
intended to compliment. The O section of the AFRS
contains many recipes to be served with meat and
poultry. Thickened gravies are made by adding flour
to the pan drippings left after roasting and browning
meats. This flour mixture forms a roux that is then
added to stock. The gravy is stirred and simmered
until the mixture thickens. There are numerous
types of gravies. A good gravy should be as smooth as
cream.
CREAM GRAVY.— Cream gravies are made
by adding milk to the roux instead of stock or
water.
Cream gravy is usually served with
chicken or ham.
NATURAL PAN GRAVY.— Natural pan gravy
(au jus) is unthickened gravy that is usually served
with roast beef. Water or stock is added to the meat
drippings and the gravy is allowed to simmer until hot.
BROWN GRAVY.— Brown gravy is prepared by
cooking the flour and fat mixture (roux) until it is brown.
Brown gravy is the basic gravy used to make giblet,
mushroom, onion, and vegetable gravies. Brown gravy
mix is a dry mix that requires only the addition of hot
water.
Gravy Preparation
Thickeners, liquids, fats, and seasonings are
combined to form gravies. Certain tips will assist you
in preparing and serving gravies.
THICKENERS.— To make smooth gravy, a roux
must be used for thickening. Flour or other starch will
form lumps if added directly to hot liquid. To make
brown gravy, the flour and fat mixture (roux) is cooked
until it is a rich, brown color. The roux is added to the
hot stock and the mixture is simmered until it is
thickened. To make cream gravy, the roux is cooked,
but not browned. The roux is added to milk or light
stock and cooked until thickened and no taste of the
starch remains.
LIQUIDS.— If a large amount of gravy is prepared,
there should be enough stock to ensure a good flavored
gravy. Tomato juice or the liquid saved from
mild-flavored cooked or canned vegetables (beans,
peas, carrots) can be substituted for part of the water.
Reconstituted soup and gravy base can be substituted
for all or part of the stock. Since salt is an ingredient in
these bases, no additional salt is added until cooking is
completed. The gravy should then be tasted and salt
added only if necessary.
FATS.— Fat from the pan drippings provides flavor.
If there is not enough fat remaining in the pan from the
meat to make a sufficient quantity of gravy, melted
shortening can be added.
SEASONINGS.—
Seasoning the gravy is
important. Avoid overseasoning. Add salt and pepper
in moderate amounts and taste the gravy during
preparation to see if more is needed.
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