A SAUCY TALE

A Saucy Tale

          Health food advocates and many nutritionists notwithstanding, there is nothing like a good sauce to complement any dish. Free association of the words: food and sauce will always bring me to thoughts of French cooking.

It has been a delight to find a chapter entitled “The Mother Sauces” in a book I’m currently reading. “A Bite-Sized History of France” by Stéphane Hénaut and Jeni Mitchell delineates the evolution of sauces in French cooking from the highly spiced and acidic sauces made with oil in medieval times to the cream, butter and herb versions which started to appear in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, designed to enhance the foods, rather than overwhelm them.

 The book has charming asides and historical legends associated with famous chefs, kings and even that rogue diplomat Talleyrand in aiding the evolution of sauces. All of the ‘Mother sauces’ (béchamel, allemande-espagnole and velouté) use a roux as a starter, which is a butter flour mix which thickens the sauce and liquid such as milk or broth to give it volume. Addition of cheese, herbs, wine, cognac and other flavorings result in the infinite variety of gastronomic repertoire. The legendary chef Escoffier added hollandaise and tomato sauce to the ‘Mother sauce’ categories in the 20^th century.

Even without such erudite history, the home cook often enhances the flavor of a dish with quite simple ingredients. Here are two simple and quick recipes, where a sauce can make a mouthwatering improvement on such staples as hamburger and apples. Neither recipe requires the talents of a French chef. 

                   Latvian Gulash

In a large pan quickly brown 1 lb. lean hamburger and set aside. Pour off excess fat and sauté 4 oz. sliced fresh mushrooms with 1 large chopped onion until soft for 5 minutes, stir 1 tblp. Lemon juice. Sprinkle with 2-3 tblsp. flour until coated and stir in 1 cup beef broth. Continue cooking on low heat until thickened. Stir in 1 tsp. salt, ¼ tsp pepper,1 tbsp. Worcerstershire sauce, the reserved meat and cook on low heat for 5-10 minutes. Stir in 2 heaping tblsp. sour cream, heat without boiling and adjust seasoning. Serve over boiled potatoes, pasta or toast for dinner or lunch.

Apples are a staple fruit in the winter and are delicious in pies, muffins, coffee cakes and a variety of pastries. The mouthwatering French recipe of classic Tarte Tatin, a carmelized upside down apple cake, gets most of it’s flavor essentially from the fried apples. It is possible to get a similar flavor much more expediently and without the cake.

                   Cardamom Sauced Apples

Peel, core and quarter 3 Granny Smith or other baking apples. Slice each quarter in 3-4 slices. In a large sauce pan melt 2-3 tblsp. unsalted butter and fry the apple slices on medium heat for 5-7 minutes, turning occasionally until apples start to brown. Stir in 2 tblsp. lemon juice, ¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar, ½ tsp. cinnamon, ½ tsp. ground cardamom and ½ cup of quartered pecans. Cook over low heat for a couple of minutes until sugar is melted. Stir in ½ cup heavy cream and cook until blended and sauce is thick. Serve warm in small bowls with a scoop of ice cream.

However, other sauces can be challenging once you step out of the comfort zone created by the roux-based sauces. Bernaise being a common example in French cooking. In fact, our two sons complained about most meat being served with it on a trip to France many year ago. To this cook, it is still a major project to whisk 5 beaten egg yolks with melted butter and a shallot-tarragon vinegar reduction over low heat without it curdling..

 (I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)

THE CHOCOLATE MONTH?

The Chocolate Month?

          February may not be your choice for the favorite month of he year, since it is usually cold, snowy and bleak at least in Maine. However, it has it’s attractions.  It is only 28 days (well - 29 every 4 years) long, so your paycheck seems to be better endowed. The days are getting longer and it has two days to celebrate, Valentines Day and President’s Day. There actually were three, before Lincoln’s Birthday and Washington’s Birthday morphed into President’s Day.

          Chocolate conjures comfort, warmth and affection in modern times and hence is an excellent choice to embrace in the month of February, even if not already mandated by Valentines Day. It also suits deserts appropriate for all three monthly celebrations and pairs so well with the flavor of cherries for Washington’s Birthday. Here are my three choices for the celebrations in February, with advance disclaimers of responsibility for any weight gain.

                   Valentine’s Rum Chocolate Pie

          Line a 9 inch pie plate with prepared pie crust, bake according to directions and allow to cool.  Heat ¾ cups whole milk with 1/8 tsp. nutmeg in a double boiler. Dissolve 2 tsp. gelatin in 4 tblsp. dark rum in a small dish.  Separate 2 eggs and beat the egg yolks with 1/3 cup sugar and 1/8 tsp. salt until light. Pour the hot milk into the egg yolks while stirring and return to the double boiler. Heat while stirring until thick. Remove from heat and stir in the dissolved gelatin. Place the pan in an ice bath and cool the mixture. When mixture thickens, stir in 3 tblsp. additional rum, the stiffly beaten egg whites and pour in the baked pie shell. Chill until set in the refrigerator.

          Break up a scant ½ lb. milk chocolate, melt it in 3 tblsp. water over hot water and cool slightly Whip 1 ¼ cups heavy cream.. Add half the whipped cream and 1 tblsp. rum to the chocolate. Whip the remaining cream with 1 tblsp. sugar and ¼ tsp vanilla and spread on the baked pie. Cover the cream layer with the chocolate layer. Chill all for a couple of hours and serve with shaved dark chocolate on top.

                             Lincoln Log Roll

          This is essentially a jelly roll covered with chocolate icing. Jelly roll: Line the bottom of  a 15 ½ x 10 ½ x 5/8 inch pan with wax paper and grease the paper and sides. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Separate 4 eggs, beat the egg yolks with ¾ cups sugar until creamy and add 1 tsp. vanilla. Sift and measure ¾ cups cake flour. Resift with ½ tsp. salt and ¾ tsp. baking powder. Add flour gradually to the egg yolk mix until smooth. In another bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, but not dry and flold them lightly in the batter. Spread on prepared pan and bake for about 12-13 minutes. While baking, prepare a towel by sprinkling lightly with xxxx sugar. Remove cake from oven, invert on the prepared towel, gently remove the paper and roll the cake in the towel starting at 10 in. end. Allow to cool, gently unroll, spread with jelly broken up with a fork, re-roll the cake and trim the ends.  Chocolate Frosting: In a heavy sauce pan place: 2 tblsp. unsalted butter, ¾ semisweet chocolate chips, 6 tblsp. heavy cream, 1 ¼ cups confectioners sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Whisk on low heat until smooth and spread warm on the roll. A row of raspberries along the top makes a nice decoration.

                                      Chocolate Cake With Cherries  

          Cherry pie is the traditional Washington’s Birthday desert. This chocolate cake with a cherry topping makes an impressive substitute. Chocolate Cake: grease and flour a 10 inch tube pan. In a large bowl pour 1 cup boiling water over 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate and 1 stick butter. When melted, stir in 2 cups sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla. Separate 2 eggs. Mix 1 tsp. baking soda in with ½ cup sour cream (not low fat), egg yolks and stir in the chocolate mix.           Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks, thoroughly fold them in the batter and pour in the prepared pan. Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 40-50 minutes until a cake tester comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes and unmold. Cherry Sauce: In a medium saucepan stir together 2 (12 oz.) packages frozen cherries (or 8 oz. dried cherries plumped) with 1/3 cup cold water and 1/3 cup sugar mixed with 2 tsp. cornstarch. Cook over low heat for 12-15 minutes until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 2 tblsp, Kirsch or brandy and ½ tsp. lemon flavoring. Cool for 1 hour. Spoon over cake at serving with a dollop of whipped cream.

          Some restaurants are known to serve a desert called “Death by Chocolate”. The home cook is not likely to succumb to such fate, even with these well-spaced chocolate treats for February.                           

(I. Winicov Harrington lives in coastal Maine and is the author of “How to Eat Healthy and Well for Less than $5.00 a Day: the Smart-Frugal Food Plan”; website: www.winicov-harrington.com)