If you really want to take your cooking skills to the next level, having a few basic sauce recipes down is a great place to start. These five sauces are absolute classics and will make anything you pair with them seem extra special.
Basic Béchamel
Ingredients
Method
1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat until foaming. Add flour. Cook, stirring, for 1 to 2 minutes or until bubbling. Remove from heat. Slowly add milk, whisking constantly, until mixture is smooth. Return to heat. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, for 10 to 12 minutes or until sauce comes to the boil, thickens and coats the back of a wooden spoon. Remove from heat. Stir in parmesan, salt and nutmeg.
Hollandaise
Ingredients
Method
1. Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice in a heatproof bowl.
2. Place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water over low heat. Whisk for 3 minutes or until mixture becomes thick and pale. Add 1 cube butter. Whisk until melted. Repeat with remaining butter (this will take about 10 minutes). Remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
Marinara
Ingredients
Method
1. In a food processor place Italian tomatoes, tomato paste, chopped parsley, minced garlic, oregano, salt, and pepper. Blend until smooth.
2. In a large skillet over medium heat saute the finely chopped onion in olive oil for 2 minutes. Add the blended tomato sauce and white wine.
3. Simmer for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Red Wine Jus
Ingredients
Method
1. Melt butter in a frying pan over medium heat. Add onion. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until softened. Add garlic. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant.
2. Add wine. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. Add stock. Bring to the boil. Reduce heat to medium. Simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Season with pepper.
Basil pesto
Ingredients
Method
1. Combine basil, garlic, Parmesan cheese, olive oil and nuts in the bowl of a food processor or blender. Blend to a smooth paste. Add parsley if desired.
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