Morning Thursday Foodies * I am Here
So today I take you back to the basics of Louisiana Cooking – The first thing you learn is :
How to make a Roux
2 T of oil ( can be Butter,bacon grease or Cooking Oil )
2 T of Flour
You also need a pan (black skillet) and a wooden spoon ( you can even buy one for making roux) or a small whisk .But most of all you need patient and time. So let’s get cooking !
4 Colors of Roux :
- White ( cooks just a few minutes ( white gravy)
- Blond color ( about 10 minutes ) Cheese sauce /chicken gravy
- Brown ( 20 minutes) brown gravy /sauce
- Dark Brown (25-30 minutes) careful not to burn ! Gumbo
From John Folse Chef ,Cookbook author & teacher : website
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Stocks may be thickened by means of reductions, eggs, butter, vegetable purees, cream, foie gras, various starches and even blood. In classical French cuisine, the roux is the primary thickening agent. Equal parts of butter and flour are well blended over heat to create a roux. This process may produce rouxs of different colors and thickening capabilities depending on the cook’s need. In Cajun and Creole cuisine, the roux has been raised to a new dimension never before experienced in other forms of cooking. Butter, lard, peanut oil, bacon fat and even duck fat have been used in combination with flour to produce as many taste and color variations as there are cooks in South Louisiana. In classical cuisine, the brown roux is used for brown sauce, the blonde roux for veloutes and the white roux is used for bechamels. In Creole cuisine, a brown roux is made from butter or bacon fat and is used to thicken gumbos and stews requiring a light touch. The Cajuns, on the other hand, are the originators of the most unique rouxs in modern cookery. |