Cooking School: Veloute of the Five Mother Sauces

Its name comes from the French word for velvet, and that’s super fitting for this light and delicate but velvety smooth sauce.

Veloute is typically served over poultry or fish that’s been delicately cooked, usually by steaming or poaching. It’s made from a blond roux and any clear stock, such as chicken, turkey or fish.

Make the blond roux by melting 1 pound butter over medium heat then whisking with 1 pound flour until a rough paste forms. Whisk constantly until it begins to thin and becomes smooth, about 20 minutes.

Executive chef Adam Swedberg adds capers and citrus to enhance his version. He also prefers shrimp stock when making this classic sauce.

Veloute is one of the five mother sauces, organized in the early 1800s by Marie Antoine-Carene and added onto by Auguste Escoffier. They’re part of the foundation of French cooking. Many chefs have them committed to memory. Home cooks could use the techniques to add flavor and elevate entrees.

Lemon Caper Veloute

From Adam Swedberg, executive banquet chef at the Historic Davenport Hotel in Spokane

1 cup white wine

1/2 cup capers

Juice from 2 lemons

4 cups high quality shrimp stock

Blond roux

Salt and pepper, to taste

Place wine, capers, lemon juice and shrimp stock in sauce pan. Let simmer for 15 minutes. Stir in roux, a little at a time, until you reach desired thickness. Season as desired.

Notes: For an aurore sauce, replace lemon and capers with pureed tomatoes. For a supreme sauce, replace shrimp stock, lemon and capers with a chicken stock, cream and mushrooms.

Stay tuned: The fifth installment will feature hollandaise sauce.

Video: Watch executive chef Adam Swedberg make veloute sauce online at spokesman.com.