veloutébased

Veloutébased refers to a classification of sauces in classical French cuisine. A velouté sauce is one of the five mother sauces, which form the foundation for a wide array of derivative sauces. The base of a velouté is a light stock, such as chicken, veal, or fish stock, which is thickened with a roux. A roux is made by cooking equal parts fat, typically butter, and flour. The color of the roux, and thus the resulting velouté, can range from pale white to golden brown depending on the cooking time of the roux. A white roux will produce a pale velouté, while a blond or brown roux will yield a darker, more robust sauce. Once the roux is prepared and the stock is added, the mixture is simmered until it reaches a smooth, slightly thickened consistency. Seasoning with salt and white pepper is common. From this basic velouté, many other sauces can be created by adding various ingredients. For example, a Sauce Suprême is made by adding cream and sometimes mushrooms to a chicken velouté, while a Sauce Allemande is created by enriching a veal velouté with egg yolks and lemon juice. The versatility of the velouté base makes it a cornerstone of traditional culinary education.