---
title: "Sauces and stocks — Kitchen glossary — Tiny Plates"
description: "The mother sauces, stocks, butters and flavor bases that so many recipes start from."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/sauces-and-stocks"
---

# 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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/aioli)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bearnaise)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bechamel)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/beurre-blanc)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/beurre-manie)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bouquet-garni)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/broth)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/brown-butter)
* [ChimichurriChimichurri is an uncooked Argentine sauce of parsley, garlic, oregano, vinegar and oil. It is sharp, fresh and served with grilled steak and sausages.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/chimichurri)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/compound-butter)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/coulis)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/court-bouillon)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/dashi)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/deglaze)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/demi-glace)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/duxelles)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/espagnole)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fond)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fumet)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/gravy)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/gremolata)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/hollandaise)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/holy-trinity)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/jus)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/liaison)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mayonnaise)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mirepoix)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/monter-au-beurre)
* [Mother saucesThe five French mother sauces are béchamel, velouté, espagnole, sauce tomate and hollandaise. Learning them lets you make hundreds of other sauces.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/mother-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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/nappe)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pan-sauce)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pesto)
* [RemouladeRemoulade is a mayonnaise-based sauce with pickles, capers, mustard and herbs. It goes with fried fish, crab cakes and celery root salad.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/remoulade)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/romesco)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/roux)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sachet-depices)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/salsa-verde)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sauce-tomate)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/slurry)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/soffritto)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/sofrito)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/stock)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/veloute)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/vinaigrette)