Class: Fusion's Happening by Chef Janet of the www.satisfiedsoul.com

Back to Loyalist Winter 2006 Menu

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White Sauce or Béchamel Sauce

This used to be one of the first lessons in home economics classes; invariably white and pasty, it coated many a bland dish. When well made, however, it has a proper place in homey, creamed dishes, often making leftovers stretch or giving cooked foods new life. And it is important as a base for soufflés. The French term for this medium-thick white sauce is béchamel. The foolproof way to attain a perfectly smooth sauce is to have the milk hot when added to the butter and flour. It uses an extra pot, but as you become more proficient, this cautionary measure may not be necessary.

2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups milk, heated
Salt
Freshly ground pepper

Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Stir in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the paste cooks and bubbles a bit, but don't let it brown - about 2 minutes. Add the hot milk, continuing to stir as the sauce thickens. Bring it to a boil. Add salt and pepper to taste, lower the heat, and cook, stirring for 2 to 3 minutes more. Remove from the heat. To cool this sauce for later use, cover it with wax paper or pour a film of milk over it to prevent a skin from forming.

Cheese Sauce. Stir in 1/2 cup grated Cheddar cheese during the last 2 minutes of cooking, along with a pinch of cayenne pepper.

How hot should the milk be? Warm the milk on low heat just until little bubbles begin to form at the edges. Then remove from heat.

Argentine Red Sauce
(Chimichurri Rojo)

This vibrant sauce/marinade is a nice variation on the classic Chimichurri Verde. A sort of Argentine Worcestershire, it is slightly more herbaceous. Try marinating some chicken pieces in this sauce (in a nonreactive dish) for a few hours before cooking them.

1/2 cup Spanish sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
1/4 cup virgin olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons hot paprika
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon toasted and ground cumin seeds
1 bay leaf, broken in half
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Combine all of the ingredients and mix well. Refrigerated, this keeps for 1 month.

Dill Cucumber Sauce

1 1/3 cups (packed) coarsely chopped fresh dill
1 cup 1/2-inch cubes unpeeled English hothouse cucumber
1 1/2 tablespoons minced shallot
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4 cup sour cream

Blend dill, cucumber, shallot, and cayenne in processor until cucumber is finely chopped; transfer to medium bowl. Whisk in mayonnaise and sour cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Makes about 2 cups.

French Toast with Berry Sauce

3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
¼ tsp nutmeg
1 (1-lb) challah loaf, cut crosswise into 12 (1/2-inch-thick) slices (not including end pieces)
3 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter

For Berry Sauce:
3 cups mixed berries such as blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries
1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar (depending on sweetness of berries)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Garnish: confectioners sugar for dusting

Traditional Method:
1. Beat egg, milk, seasonings into bowl. Place slices of bread into mixture turning until it is absorbed. Place butter into pan and sauté each piece until browned on both sides.

2. Lazy solution.

Night before - butter low pan place bread into it and pour over egg mixture. In the morning
take out of fridge and place into 350 oven and bake for 30 minutes.

Berry Sauce: If it is fresh fruit, then just mix berries with sugar and juice. If the berries are frozen then mix with sugar and juice-let thaw. When warm puree in blender or food processor and sieve out seeds.