Sauces and stocks

The mother sauces, stocks, butters and flavor bases that so many recipes start from.

AioliAioli is a thick garlic sauce from the Mediterranean, made by emulsifying garlic and olive oil, often with egg yolk. Here is how to make and use it.
BéarnaiseBéarnaise is a warm butter sauce of egg yolks and a tarragon and shallot vinegar reduction. It is the classic sauce for steak and is easy to split.
BéchamelBéchamel is a smooth white sauce of milk thickened with a butter and flour roux. It is the base for lasagna, mac and cheese, gratins and croque monsieur.
Beurre blancBeurre blanc is a French butter sauce made by whisking cold butter into a wine and shallot reduction. It is light, tangy and made for fish and vegetables.
Beurre maniéBeurre manié is soft butter kneaded with an equal weight of flour. Whisk small pieces into a hot sauce or stew to thicken it at the end, without lumps.
Bouquet garniA bouquet garni is a small bundle of herbs, usually thyme, bay leaf and parsley stems, tied together to flavor stocks, soups and stews, then removed.
BrothBroth is a savory liquid made by simmering meat, fish or vegetables in water. Here is how it differs from stock, how to make it and how to keep it.
Brown butterBrown butter is butter cooked until its milk solids toast and smell nutty. It takes about five minutes and adds deep flavor to pasta, fish and baking.
ChimichurriChimichurri is an uncooked Argentine sauce of parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar and oil. It is sharp, fresh and served with grilled steak and sausages.
Compound butterCompound butter is soft butter mixed with herbs, garlic, zest or spices, then chilled. A slice melts over steak, fish or bread as an instant sauce.
CoulisA coulis is a smooth, pourable purée of fruit or vegetables, strained to remove seeds and skins. Raspberry coulis takes ten minutes and few ingredients.
Court bouillonCourt bouillon is a quick, acidic broth of water, wine or vinegar, vegetables and herbs, used for poaching fish and shellfish. It cooks in 20 minutes.
DashiDashi is the light Japanese stock made from kombu and bonito flakes. It is the base of miso soup and many sauces, and takes under 30 minutes to make.
DeglazeTo deglaze is to pour liquid into a hot pan and scrape up the browned bits stuck to the bottom. Those bits become the flavor base of a quick pan sauce.
Demi-glaceDemi-glace is a dark, glossy sauce base made by reducing brown stock, often with espagnole, until it is rich and syrupy. It anchors classic steak sauces.
DuxellesDuxelles is a paste of finely chopped mushrooms and shallots cooked in butter until dry. It is the filling in beef Wellington and a base for stuffings.
EspagnoleEspagnole is the classic French brown sauce of brown stock, a brown roux, mirepoix and tomato. It is a mother sauce and the starting point for demi-glace.
FondFond is the layer of browned, stuck-on bits left in a pan after searing or roasting. Dissolved with liquid, it gives pan sauces and gravy their flavor.
FumetFumet is a quick, concentrated fish stock made from white fish bones, wine and aromatics. It cooks in 30 minutes and is the base of fish sauces and soups.
GravyGravy is a sauce made from the juices and browned drippings of roasted meat, thickened with flour or starch. Here is how to make it smooth every time.
GremolataGremolata is an Italian mix of chopped parsley, lemon zest and garlic, scattered over food just before serving to add a fresh, sharp finish to rich dishes.
HollandaiseHollandaise is a warm sauce of egg yolks, butter and lemon, whisked into a smooth emulsion. It is the sauce on eggs Benedict and asparagus, and can split.
Holy trinityThe holy trinity is onion, celery and green bell pepper, chopped and cooked as the flavor base of Cajun and Creole dishes such as gumbo and jambalaya.
JusJus is the thin, unthickened sauce made from a roast's own juices and stock. It is lighter than gravy and is served with roast beef and French dip.
LiaisonA liaison is a mix of egg yolks and cream stirred into a hot sauce or soup at the end to thicken and enrich it. Temper it first so the yolks do not curdle.
MayonnaiseMayonnaise is a thick, cold sauce made by whisking oil into egg yolk with lemon or vinegar. It takes five minutes by hand and is the base of many dips.
MirepoixMirepoix is diced onion, carrot and celery, usually two parts onion to one each of the others. It is the flavor base of French stocks, soups and braises.
Monter au beurreMonter au beurre means swirling cold butter into a warm sauce at the end of cooking. It makes a pan sauce glossy, silky and slightly thicker in a minute.
Mother saucesThe five French mother sauces are béchamel, velouté, espagnole, sauce tomate and hollandaise. Learning them lets you make hundreds of other sauces.
NappeNappe is the thickness at which a sauce coats the back of a spoon and holds a clean line when you draw a finger through it. It is the test for custards.
Pan sauceA pan sauce is made in the pan you seared meat in. Deglaze the browned bits, reduce, and finish with butter. It takes about five minutes.
PestoPesto is an uncooked Italian sauce of basil, pine nuts, garlic, hard cheese and olive oil, pounded or blended. Here is how to keep it bright green.
RemouladeRemoulade is a mayonnaise-based sauce with pickles, capers, mustard and herbs. It goes with fried fish, crab cakes and celery root salad.
RomescoRomesco is a Catalan sauce of roasted red peppers, tomatoes, garlic, almonds or hazelnuts and olive oil. It is smoky and nutty and great with grilled food.
RouxA roux is equal weights of flour and fat cooked together to thicken sauces, soups and gravies. Cook it white, blond or brown depending on the dish.
Sachet d'épicesA sachet d'épices is a small cheesecloth bag of herbs and whole spices, tied shut and simmered in stock or soup, then lifted out before serving.
Salsa verdeSalsa verde means green sauce. The Italian kind is herbs, capers, anchovy and oil; the Mexican kind is tomatillos and chili. Here is how to make both.
Sauce tomateSauce tomate is the French mother sauce made from tomatoes slowly simmered with aromatics, stock and pork. It is richer than a simple Italian tomato sauce.
SlurryA slurry is starch, such as cornstarch, mixed with cold water and stirred into a hot liquid to thicken it fast. It gives a glossy sauce in about a minute.
SoffrittoSoffritto is the Italian base of finely chopped onion, carrot and celery cooked slowly in olive oil. It starts ragù, minestrone, risotto and many braises.
SofritoSofrito is a cooked base of onion, garlic, peppers and often tomato used across Spanish, Latin American and Caribbean cooking for rice, beans and stews.
StockStock is an unsalted liquid made by simmering bones, vegetables and aromatics in water for hours. It is the base of soups, sauces, gravy and risotto.
VeloutéVelouté is a French mother sauce of light stock thickened with a blond roux. It is silky and pale, and it is the base of cream sauces for chicken and fish.
VinaigretteVinaigrette is a dressing of oil and vinegar, usually three parts oil to one part acid, with salt and mustard. It dresses salads, vegetables and grains.