Chapter VII - Sauces PDF

# Chapter VII - Sauces ## A. Starches The food industry makes widespread use of the thickening capability of starches as well as of their abilities to act as stabilizers, texturizers, water or fat binders, fat substitutes, and emulsification aids. ### Sources of Starch The word starch is derived...

# Chapter VII - Sauces ## A. Starches The food industry makes widespread use of the thickening capability of starches as well as of their abilities to act as stabilizers, texturizers, water or fat binders, fat substitutes, and emulsification aids. ### Sources of Starch The word starch is derived from the Germanic root word meaning "stiff," and commercial starch lives up to the original meaning by acting as a thickening or gelling agent in food preparation. ### Starch in Food Products Starch serves several purposes in the food industry, including its use as a thickening agent, edible film, and sweetener source (dextrose and syrup). ### Starch Characteristics 1. Gelatinization: Gelatinization occurs when starch granules are heated in a liquid. 2. Gel Formation: Gelatinization must occur before the next step, gel formation, which is the same as gelation. A fluid starch paste is a sol, whereas a semisolid paste is known as a gel. 3. Retrogradation: As the gel cools, bonds continue to form between amylose molecules, and retrogradation occurs. 4. Dextrinization: Another process characteristic of starches is dextrinization. The result is an increase in sweetness. ## B. Sauces Sauces are liquids that accompany the primary ingredient in a dish. Their purpose is to enhance the flavor of that ingredient a portion of meat or fish or grain or vegetable either by deepening and broadening its own intrinsic flavor, or by providing a contrast or complement to it. The word sauce comes from a Latin root word of salsus "sal" meaning "salt," which is the original concentrated flavoring, pure mineral crystals from the sea. ### Functions of Sauces in Foods * Adding moistness * Add flavor * Add texture and body (especially to soups) * Add appearance through their rich color and shine ### Types of Sauces The major sauces used in food preparation are thickened sauces and unthicken sauces. | **THICKENED SAUCES** | **UNTHICKEN SAUCES** | |----------------------------|-----------------------| | Cheese sauce | Barbecue sauce | | Custard sauce | Butter sauce | | Gravy | Chocolate sauce | | White sauce | Fruit sauces | | Variations of white sauce | Gravy | | | Hard sauce | | | Hollandaise sauce | | | Tartar sauce | | | Tomato sauce | Relish, chutney, salsa, ketchup, and mustard serve the same purpose, although they are not generally referred to as sauces. ## 5 Mother Sauces 1. Béchamel Sauce - This sauce is made from a white roux and milk, seasoned with ground nutmeg. 2. Espagnole Sauce - is a basic brown sauce, and is one of the mother sauces of classic French cooking. 3. Hollandaise Sauce - is a mixture of egg yolk, melted butter, and lemon juice. 4. Tomato Sauce - concentrated sauce prepared from the liquid extracted from mature, sound, whole tomatoes 5. Velouté Sauce - is a savory sauce that is made from a roux and a light stock. | **MOTHER SAUCES** | **BASE INGREDIENT** | |-------------------------------|-------------------------| | Béchamel Sauce (White Sauce) | MILK | | Espagnole Sauce (Brown Sauce) | BROWN STOCK (BEEF) | | Hollandaise Sauce | BUTTER | | Tomato Sauce | TOMATO | | Velouté Sauce | WHITE STOCK (CHICKEN/FISH STOCK) | ## C. Thickening Agent A thickening agent, usually starch, may be added to the liquid to make it more viscous. Arrowroot gives a result that is even clearer than cornstarch, but its cost limits its use. Pre-gelatinized or instant starches speed up the preparation process because they thicken immediately in cold water and do not have to be heated. ## Types of Thickening Agents 1. **Cornstarch** - It is mixed with water or juice and boiled to make fillings and to give a glossy semi-clear finish to products. 2. **Pre-gelatinized Starches** - Pre-gelatinized starches are mixed with sugar and then added to the water or juice. They thicken the filling in the presence of sugar and water without. 3. **Arrowroot** - s a highly nutritious farinaceous starch obtained from the roots and tubers of various West Indian plants. It is used in the preparation of delicate soups, sauces, puddings, and custards. 4. **Agar-Agar** - is a jelly-like substance extracted from red seaweed found off the coasts of Japan, California, and Sri Lanka. It is available in strips or slabs and in powder form. Agar-agar only dissolves in hot water and is colourless. * **Algin (Sodium Alginate)** - Extracted from kelp, this gum dissolves in cold water and a 1% concentration to give a firm gel. * **Carrageenan or Irish Moss** - Carrageenan is another marine gum extracted from red seaweed. It is used as a thickening agent in various products, from icing stabilizers to whipping cream. 5. **Gelatin** - Gelatin is a glutinous substance made from the bones, connective tissues, and skins of animals. The calcium is removed and the remaining substance is soaked in cold water. Then it is heated to 40°C to 60°C (105°F 140°F). The partially evaporated liquid is defatted and coagulated on glass plates and then poured into moulds. When solid, the blocks of gelatin are cut into thin layers and dried on wire netting. * **Gum Arabic or Acacia** - This gum is obtained from various kinds of trees and is soluble in hot or cold water. Solutions of gum arabic are used in the bakery for glazing various kinds of goods, particularly marzipan fruits. * **Gum Tragacanth** - This gum is obtained from several species of Astragalus, low-growing shrubs found in Western Asia. It can be purchased in flakes or powdered form. Any acids in the form of vinegar, wine, tomato products, or lemon are usually added after gelatinization, because acid can break down the starch. Many restaurants use glazes as flavorings for sauces. The word glaze is from the French glace for "glossy." This highly flavored concentrate, which coagulates when refrigerated into a shiny, rubbery mass, may be obtained from meat, chicken, or fish stock. ## Thickeners 1. **Roux** - In the traditional French system, the cook carefully heats equal weights of flour and butter in a pan to one of three consecutive endpoints: the mixture has had the moisture cooked out of it, but the flour remains white; the flour develops a light-yellow color (blond); or the flour develops a distinctly brown color. * A cooked mixture of equal parts of flour and fat (such as butter, oil or meat drippings). The amount of cooking time affects the color. 2. **Beurre Manié** - In a beurre manié, the butter and flour are not cooked. Also, unlike a roux, which is added to a sauce at the beginning, a beurre manié is whisked in, bit by bit, to an already simmering sauce until it reaches its desired thickness just before serving. 3. **Slurry** - The third type of thickener, slurry, is made by gradually mixing cold water, which will not cause the starch granules to expand, into either cornstarch or flour to make a thin liquid.