Under the name of fine sauces, the two fundamental French sauces are to be noted. There are two points wherein these sauces differ from the simple white and brown sauces, that are the fundamental sauces in the ordinary family cuisine, viz.: the character of the liquid used, and the final removal of the butter used in the roux. In the recipes for simple sauces, stock is used. In families of ordinary size there is usually material enough in the flank-ends of steak, the trimmings from chops, the bones from roasts of beef and fowl, the heads and trimmings from fish, and the body-bones from lobsters, to furnish all the stock needed for sauces. But the more carefully selected these materials are, the better the stock and, consequently, the sauce will be. Nor will bones and fat meat alone suffice, there must be the proper proportion of raw lean meat. The stock used in Espagnole sauce is not made of odds and ends, but of beef and veal, that in velouté, of veal and chicken. Espagnole and velouté sauce maigre are made of any suitable white fish.

Espagnole Sauce Recipe

Butter a stewpan and put in two small onions, sliced; upon these place three pounds of veal from the fillet and one pound of beef from the neck, or round; moisten with a cup of "general" stock made without fowl and let boil until the stock is half reduced. Now, do not neglect the meat, but let simmer gently, turning frequently until it is of an even, bright brown color. The caramel flavor produced by thus glazing the meat is one of the features of French sauces. The glazing must be arrested as soon as a bright brown color is attained; for, if the glaze becomes dark brown in color, the sauce will be bitter. When the meat is glazed, remove from the fire, and let stand, covered, five minutes; this will facilitate the dissolving of the glaze. Now pour in three quarts of general stock, bring to the boiling point and add a carrot, cut small, half a tablespoonful of salt, and half a bay leaf and a sprig of thyme tied in a sprig or two of parsley; let simmer until the meat is tender, then remove to serve as bouilli, or for use in "made dishes." Strain and cool the stock. Make a brown roux with one cup of clarified butter and one and a half cups of flour; add the stock in the usual manner. After ail is added and the sauce is boiling, remove to the back of the range, and let simmer two hours with the saucepan partly covered. Skim off the fat twice during this period. At the end of two hours remove the fat a third time, strain the sauce and set aside for use. Butter loses its flavor in cooking, and it is used in all sauces thickened with roux simply as a medium in which to cook starch. The removal of this butter, which has served its purpose, gives the smooth velvety appearance that distinguishes the simple from the fine sauces.

Velouté Sauce Recipe

3 pounds of fillet of veal. 1 carrot. 1 chicken (fillets of breast removed if desired). Salt and pepper. 1 cup of butter. 1 onion. 1 cup of flour. 4 quarts of general stock (white meat).

Prepare as Espagnole sauce, but without glazing the meat, or browning the flour. In large establishments, where a variety in sauces is called for, by simply adding to these fundamental sauces the essence of mushrooms, game, or chicken, glaze of some particular kind and mirepoix, i.e., vegetable glaze, any kind of sauce desired is produced at short notice; as, for instance:

Sauce Supreme Recipe

1 quart of fine velouté sauce. 1/2 cup of essence of chicken. 1/2 cup of essence of mushrooms.

Let the ingredients come to the boiling point and simmer half an hour, then skim.

Essence Of Chicken Recipe

Essences are used to flavor and dilute the fundamental sauces; the various essences of fowl, game, etc.,are all prepared in the same way. Remove the breasts and legs from three chickens and set aside for other use; disjoint the rest, add to the result a pound of veal, an onion with a clove in it, half a carrot, a kitchen bouquet and three pints of chicken consommé, let simmer until the meat is done. Use the meat in made dishes; strain the essence and set aside; skim off the fat before using.

Essence Of Mushrooms Recipe

In a closed saucepan put a pound of cleaned mushroooms, two tablespoonfuls of lemon juice, and a teaspoonful of salt over the fire; let stand five minutes, then add a pint of chicken consommé; let boil about eight minutes; strain and set aside. The mushrooms may be added to a salpicon of chicken, or oysters,

Mirepoix Recipe

1 pound of veal. 2 onions. 1/2 pound of bacon. 2 bay leaves. 1 pound of ham. 1 sprig of thyme. 2 carrots. 2 shallots. 2 1/2 quarts of general stock.

Put the meat and vegetables, all cut in small pieces, into a fryingpan and fry to a light brown color; add the stock, let boil up once, then simmer two hours; strain and set away for use.