Luncheons: A Cook's Picture Book

by Mary Ronald

SAUCES

WHITE SAUCE

Put a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan; when it bubbles add a tablespoonful of flour and cook them together for a few minutes, but do not let them brown. Remove from the fire and add a cupful of milk, very slowly so as to keep it smooth; stir all the time. Add a half teaspoonful of salt and a saltspoonful of pepper. Return it to the fire and cook until it is thickened to a creamy consistency. The sauce is richer if half stock and half milk are used. It is also improved for some uses by adding the yolks of one or two eggs. If yolks are used they are stirred in after the sauce is taken from the fire, as it is still hot enough to cook the egg sufficiently. (See Sauces, “Century Cook Book,” pages 275-277.)

BROWN SAUCE

This is made in the same way and with the same proportions as the white sauce, but the butter with a few drops of onion juice in it is browned before the flour is added. The flour is also allowed to brown. It is then diluted with stock instead of milk.

SUPREME SAUCE

For Chicken Breasts, Sweetbreads, Croquettes, etc.

Put a tablespoonful of butter in a saucepan; when it is hot add a tablespoonful of flour and let it cook a few minutes without coloring, then add slowly a cupful of chicken or veal stock, half a teaspoonful of salt, and a dash of paprika; stir until it thickens, then remove it from the fire, and after a few minutes add slowly a mixture of quarter of a cupful of cream and the yolks of three eggs. Return it to the fire for a minute to cook the eggs. Just before serving add a tablespoonful of lemon juice.

TOMATO PURÉE

Put a canful of tomatoes in a saucepan with half an onion sliced, a bay-leaf, a sprig of parsley, three cloves, one half teaspoonful of salt, and a saltspoonful of pepper. Cook uncovered until reduced one half, then strain it through a purée sieve. Return it to the fire and add, a little at a time, a tablespoonful of butter.