Stocks and Sauces Flashcards

What are the four essential components of a white stock?

Answer: Raw bones, cold water, mirepoix, and a bouquet garni or sachet d'épices

A white stock is made from raw (unroasted) bones, started in cold water, with mirepoix (onion, celery, carrot) and a bouquet garni or sachet d'épices for aromatics. Starting in cold water extracts maximum flavour and produces a clearer stock.

What is a mirepoix and what is the standard ratio of its components?

Answer: A combination of onion, celery, and carrot at a 2:1:1 ratio (by weight)

Mirepoix is a French culinary term for a combination of roughly chopped onion, celery, and carrot in a 2:1:1 ratio by weight (50% onion, 25% celery, 25% carrot). It provides the aromatic foundation for stocks, soups, sauces, and braised dishes.

What are the five French mother sauces?

Answer: Béchamel, velouté, espagnole, tomato, and hollandaise

The five French mother sauces, as codified by Auguste Escoffier, are: béchamel (milk + white roux), velouté (white stock + blond roux), espagnole (brown stock + brown roux + tomato), tomato sauce, and hollandaise (egg yolks + clarified butter). All other classical sauces derive from these five.

What is a roux and what are its three stages?

Answer: Equal parts fat and flour cooked together; white, blond, and brown

A roux is a cooked mixture of equal parts fat (usually butter) and flour by weight. The three stages are: white roux (cooked briefly, no colour, strongest thickening), blond roux (cooked to a straw colour, moderate thickening), and brown roux (cooked to a deep brown, richest flavour but weakest thickening).

How long should a brown veal stock typically simmer?

Answer: 6 to 8 hours

A brown veal stock should simmer for 6 to 8 hours to extract maximum flavour, gelatin, and body from the roasted bones. The stock should be maintained at a gentle simmer (not a boil) and skimmed regularly to produce a clear, rich result.

What is the purpose of skimming a stock during cooking?

Answer: To remove impurities, fat, and scum that rise to the surface, producing a clearer and cleaner-tasting stock

Skimming removes the coagulated proteins (scum), excess fat, and impurities that rise to the surface during simmering. This produces a clearer stock with a cleaner flavour. Stocks should be skimmed regularly throughout the cooking process.