Your Small or Derivative Sauces

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

I was going to be off of the computer by noon and start some badly needed yard work. But I just ate a sauce of my own creation that came out so good, that I had to share it. And since I'm sharing mine, I'm hoping that you talented members share some of your own sauce creations. We can then cut & paste into our personal cooking folders and further expand our skills.

I will call this one Mornay De Fleure, as I, Bob Flowers, created this version.

Sauce Mornay de Fleure
Ingredients:
1 tbs. salted butter
1 tbs. cake flour
1 tbs. Good Chicken Soup Base
3/4 cup milk (estimated amount)
1 pinch nutmeg
1 pinch finely ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 tsp. rubbed Sage
1/8 cup shredded Fontina Cheese

Melt the butter in a small sauce pan. Add the flour and whisk until smooth. Slowly add the milk, while whisking, until a the sauce is runny, but will coat a spoon. Add the soup base, nutmeg, pepper, sage, and oregano. Allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Slowly add the Fontina, while whisking and cook until the cheese is completely mixed. Remove from heat

I served this over 2 eggs, poached in my poaching pan, and placed on a slice of whole wheat toast (the toast should be dry, not buttered for this). It was amazing, at least to me.

This sauce is similar to Mornay Sauce in that it combines cheese with a Bechamel sauce. But instead of using extra butter and Gruyere, I added the herbs and Fontina.

My sauce is also similar ot a sausage pan gravy, but has more flavor. It would be great with the addition of bacon or sausage bits, or diced ham or chicken.

This would also be make a great gravy to go with fried or baked chicken, with mashed potatoes, or rice. You could incorporate it into cooked noodles and make wonderful veggie, or chicken casseroles with it as well. I think it would be great as a creamed soup base for brocolli, mushrroms, chicken, or potato soup.

Give it a try. I think you will find many uses for this versatile sauce.

Seeeeya; Goodweed of the North

 

[ironchef]

My derivative of a basic brown butter sauce used in many classical European cuisines.

Pan Roasted Beef Tenderloin with Sweet Ginger-Shiitake Brown Butter

Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:

6 oz. + 3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
4 ea., 7-8 oz. Filet Mignon
2 Tbsp. Fresh Ginger, finely minced
1 Tbsp. Fresh Garlic, finely minced
1/2 c. Fresh Shiitake Mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 1/2 oz. Sake
1 oz. Mirin
1 Tbsp. Garlic Chives, finely chopped
Kosher Salt and Fresh Cracked Pepper

Method:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees. In a heavy skillet, heat the olive oil on high until lightly smoking. Season the filets on both sides with salt and pepper. Pan sear on both sides until golden brown, then transfer to oven and cook until desired doneness. Remove steak from the oven and pan, and let rest for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, in a sauce pan, heat the 3 Tbsp. unsalted butter on medium/medium-high. Add the ginger and garlic and cook until translucent and aromatic, but do not brown, about 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Add the shiitake mushrooms and about 1/2 tsp. of salt, and saute until cooked though, about 3-4 minutes. Add the mirin and sake and reduce by roughly half. Add the remaining unsalted butter and after the butter melts, reduce the heat to medium low. Continue to cook until the butter browns, about 6-8 minutes. Remove from heat, season to taste with salt and stir in the chives. Serve immediately.