Cooking for Beginners - 8 Tips For Making Fabulous Sauces

Did you know...

That sauces were originally created to mask foods that were starting to go bad. This was done well before refrigeration was available. Today, I'm happy to say, we use sauces to compliment food.

The art of sauce making has changed considerably over time and, with the introduction of new cuisines, the variety of sauces is endless.

While there is a huge array of recipes available, don't be afraid to come up with your own creations. Have some fun!

Okay... enough chat, here are 8 tips for you.

1. The first step is, have all your ingredients ready to go before you start cooking. This is called Mise en Place... which means getting organized! The last thing you want is for your shallots to burn while you're running off to get vegetable stock for deglazing.

2. You will come across recipes that call for 'reducing'. This simply means that you will cook down the liquid (stock or wine) until there is a small amount left in the pan.

3. You will know the sauce has reduce enough once it reaches a certain thickness. If the reduction is thick enough to coat a spoon, you can be sure it is ready.

4. Sometimes the cooking directions will tell you to 'reduce by half'. You will have to eyeball this... don't worry about measuring it out. Just a rough guess.

5. Watch the cooking process very carefully because the reduction can burn easily once it reaches a desired consistency. Don't leave it unattended.

6. At the end of the cooking time, a small scoop of butter can be added. This gives the sauce extra flavor and a smooth texture. The recipe will tell you this so don't worry about forgetting this tip.

7. Most sauces should be used right away... if not serving immediately, keep sauce in a warm place until serving time. You may want to cover with a plastic wrap so a skin doesn't form on the top.

8. Important ingredients to have on hand for making great sauces.

Vegetables -----Shallots, leeks, mushrooms, onions and garlic.

Herbs -------all types, fresh and dried. Fresh is preferred.

Condiments ----oils, mustards, vinegars.

Dairy -------cream, cheese, milk, butter, yogurt, creme fraiche,

chocolate and mascarpone.

Meat products --bacon, pancetta and anchovies.

Alcohol ------sherry, brandy, port, wine and vodka.

Stocks and Glazes --- store bought stocks and glazes are readily available and are nice to have in your pantry. They add a tremendous about flavor.

Most of these ingredients are easy to find in your local super market or specialty stores. I urge you to do some experimenting and, above all, have fun.

Just curious... what sauce are you going to try first?

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