so like basic concept for making the sauces, you
need a thickening agent. you can go about this via
using the roux adding it piece by piece (and should
be cold, and then added to the heated water, or cold
water added little by little to heated roux).
or you can use eggs: and the basic rule here
is low low heat. no bubbling no boiling.
with eggs, you just use the yolk, whisk it
until it's creamy. and you use the already
heated stock to warm up the yolk.
when you mix this into the sauce, it should
be done off the heat. mix the yolk and stock
in first, and only then place on low low heat.
for the basic white sauces: i'll start with my favourite:
hollandaise (though mayonaise is the easiest)
ing: water, egg yolks, clarified butter, lemon juice, salt, crushed peppercorns, cayenne pepper
put the peppercorns into water and bring it to a boil then reduce the heat.
strain the water, mix the egg yolks into the water with a whisk. you'll know
the yolks are getting cooked when it turns from fluffy frothy to something
more densed. it're ready when the whisk starts leaving trails. remove from
heat.
and this is the hardest part: i usually like to have a helper. 1. someone
to pour the clarified butter slow but steady. i can't emphasize enough
how it has to be a steady stream while the other person whisks it
in (i think the additonal splashes if the stream isn't steady kinda screws
it up and the longer the stream, more time to cool/keeps the temp steady?
there must be a better scientific explanation that i dunno, but this is purely o
bservation) and of course, since it's a white sauce, it's finished when it has
the consistency of mayonnaise. don't forget the lemon!!! and salt/cayenne
as you wish. i just add cayenne to the top when i'm ready to serve.
oh man now i want eggs benedict.