Sauces and Dressings 2 Chapter Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Sauces and Dressings2Chapter

Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Sauces and Dressings

Before reading this chapter, you should already:• To prepare a meat or seafood glace (highly reduced stock).• To identify and use fresh and dried herbs.• To identify and use whole and ground spices.• To handle and prepare eggs and dairy products according to food

safety guidelines.

Chapter Pre-Requisites

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After reading this chapter, you should be able to:1. Explain the chemistry of cold emulsions.

2. Prepare a successful vinaigrette by hand as well as in a mixer, blender, or food processor.

3. Repair a failed or broken vinaigrette.

4. Prepare mayonnaise by the traditional handmade procedure as well as in a mixer, blender, or food processor.

5. Repair both failed and broken mayonnaise by several methods.

6. Prepare cold sauces based on dairy products.

7. Prepare cold sauces based on fruits and vegetables.

8. Use and store vinaigrettes, mayonnaise, and other cold sauces in accordance with food safety guidelines.

Chapter Objectives

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Two fundamental sauces in garde manger work:1. Vinaigrette: a temporary emulsion, or an unstable

emulsion. A properly made vinaigrette stays emulsified for some time, but eventually the oil and water separate.

2. Mayonnaise: a permanent emulsion, or a stable emulsion. A properly made and stored mayonnaise stays emulsified indefinitely.

Introduction to Emulsion Sauces

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• Both vinaigrette and mayonnaise are emulsions, which can be described as uniform mixtures of two normally unmixable substances.

• When mixed together uniformly, using the correct technique, these substances become emulsified.

Introduction to Emulsion Sauces

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• At their most basic level, vinaigrettes are simple mixtures of vegetable oil, salt, and vinegar.

• Since ancient times, these ingredients have been used to enhance salad greens.

• In modern commercial food service, we rely on prepared mixtures of oil and vinegar combined in specific ratios. – This ensures our preparations are consistent from day to day.– Such a mixture is called a vinaigrette, or vinaigrette dressing.

Vinaigrettes

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The Traditional and Modern Formulas for Vinaigrettes• Traditional formula: 3 parts oil to 1 part vinegar. • Modern oil-to-vinegar ratios: 4 to1 or even 5 to1, depending on the

flavors of the ingredients and on the vinaigrette’s intended use. – This change is because many of today’s vinegars are stronger in flavor.

• When determining a vinaigrette’s oil-to-vinegar ratio, you should follow the dictates of your own palate—remember to include salt in the mixture before tasting.– Salt modifies the taste of the vinegar by reducing the impact of its acid.

Vinaigrettes

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Acid Ingredients for Vinaigrettes• The acid component is considered the primary flavor of a

vinaigrette.– Most vinaigrettes are named after their acid component (e.g., “balsamic

vinaigrette” or “cider vinaigrette”).

• Vinegars may be processed from many foods, each of which lends its own special flavor, color, and acidity level.

• Vinegar is no longer the only type of acid ingredient for vinaigrettes. Other options include:– fruit juices

– vegetable juices

– verjus

Vinaigrettes

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Oils for Vinaigrettes• Oil contributes richness and a smooth mouth feel, and it binds the

dressing to the food being dressed.• The flavor of the oil:

– Bland oils may be used to highlight the flavor of the acid component and other seasonings.

– If a flavorful oil is used, the acid component and other seasonings must complement it.

• The texture of the oil:– Full-bodied oils with heavy texture are best used on sturdy greens or in

composed salads with cooked vegetables and other hearty ingredients.

– Thinner, lighter oils complement delicate greens.

Vinaigrettes

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Storing Oils• Like all fats, vegetable oils are perishable, and can

acquire an acrid odor and rank flavor at this state.– Oil in this state is called rancid.

• The three major enemies of oil are oxygen, heat, and light. – Oxygen rapidly combines with fats and causes decomposition.

• The best way to keep oil fresh is to prevent its exposure to oxygen.

Vinaigrettes

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Storing Oils• Use the following points to protect oils:

– Keep bottles tightly closed and store them away from heat.

– Transfer valuable, highly perishable oils from half-empty bottles into smaller bottles to minimize the oxygen inside.

– Consider storing fine, expensive artisan oils using an oxygen replacement system (e.g., those used to preserve wine in open bottles).

– Keep fine oils in dark glass or nonreactive metal containers; do not keep them in squeeze bottles for prolonged periods.

– Keep fine oils under refrigeration and bring to room temperature just before use.

Vinaigrettes

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Aromatics for Vinaigrettes• Aromatic Preparation Flavor/Texture Characteristics

– Finely minced shallots add a mild yet distinctive flavor that does not dilute the flavor or body of the vinaigrette.

– Minced scallions add a mild, light flavor.

– Garlic, in many forms, adds flavors from mellow to vibrant.

– Fresh ginger adds flavor found in many Asian vinaigrettes.

– Citrus zest removed with zester adds pungent essential oils.

Vinaigrettes

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Herbs and Spices for Vinaigrettes• Herbs and spices are the finishing touches that make vinaigrettes

distinctive.• Your choice of herbs or spices is virtually unlimited and is based on

the intended style and use of the vinaigrette.

Condiments for Vinaigrettes• A number of prepared sauces and seasonings are used to flavor

vinaigrettes.• Some contribute to stabilizing the emulsion as well.

Vinaigrettes

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Protein Ingredients for Vinaigrettes• Anchovy paste adds subtle umami flavor.• Egg yolk (pasteurized raw or hard-cooked) yields thick, creamy

vinaigrette when added at beginning of preparation.• Dairy products (sour cream, crème fraîche , heavy cream) are

thick, light in color, and creamy in flavor.• Glace is highly reduced meat, poultry, or seafood stock; it adds a

savory base flavor.

Vinaigrettes

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Understanding Vinaigrette Emulsions• Emulsion: a mixture of two normally unmixable fluids in which one of

the fluids is broken up into tiny droplets and dispersed in the other.– The liquid broken into droplets is called the dispersed phase of the

emulsion.

– The other liquid, which surrounds all those droplets, is called the continuous phase.

– In a standard vinaigrette, the vinegar is the dispersed phase and the oil is the continuous phase.

– Therefore, the vinegar is broken into tiny droplets during mixing and evenly distributed throughout the oil.

Vinaigrettes

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Understanding Vinaigrette Emulsions• A well-made vinaigrette is cloudy and thick.

– It is thicker than either oil or water because the tiny droplets get in each other’s way as they circulate throughout the mixture.

– The vinegar and oil can no longer be seen individually but instead are combined into a uniform mixture.

• Emulsified vinaigrette: a fully combined, uniform vinaigrette mixture.– Coats salad greens and other ingredients evenly and uniformly.

Vinaigrettes

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Broken Emulsions• Because a vinaigrette is a temporary or unstable emulsion, the

vinegar and oil will eventually separate.• Circulating water droplets in the mixture bump into each other and

combine into larger droplets due to their polar attraction. • Gradually, the droplets grow large enough to separate from the oil

completely and form a separate layer on the bottom of the container.

Vinaigrettes

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Stabilizing Emulsions• Two conditions are necessary to form smaller droplets:

1. More energy is needed during mixing.• The chef must use enough energy to break the surface tension to

make smaller and smaller droplets.

• An electric mixer, a blender, or a large industrial homogenizer exert more energy than a handheld whip.

2. Ingredients must be at the proper temperature.• At warm temperatures, the droplets move more rapidly within the

mixture, making it more likely that they will hit each other and recombine than in cold temperatures.

• The best temperature is 60–80°F, or roughly room temperature.

Vinaigrettes

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Stabilizing Ingredients• Stabilizer: An ingredient added to an emulsion to prevent droplets

from combining (anything that keeps water droplets from bumping into each other can help stabilize a mixture).

• Stabilizer ingredients (also adds flavor):– Powdered spices

– Finely chopped herbs and aromatics

• Emulsifiers for vinaigrettes:– Lecithin in egg yolks (one of the most effective for vinaigrettes).

– Milk proteins, particularly casein, in dairy products.

– Gelatin protein in glace.

Vinaigrettes

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Vinaigrette Mixing Methods• For small amounts of vinaigrette, a bowl and whip are

the best tools.• For larger amounts, it is easier to use electrically

powered mixing equipment, such as:– A mixer with the whip attachment– An immersion blender– A blender or food processor

Vinaigrettes

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Basic Procedure for Making Vinaigrettes1. Have all ingredients at room temperature.

2. Assemble equipment: a stainless-steel mixing bowl and a whip.

3. Combine the vinegar and seasonings in the bowl.

4. Whip until frothy (A).

5. Whip in the oil in a thin stream (B).

6. Taste and correct the flavor balance.

Vinaigrettes

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(A)

(B)


Procedure for Making Vinaigrettes in a Blender/Processor

1. Have all ingredients at room temperature.

2. Assemble equipment: either a blender or a food processor with the bowl and blade in place.

3. Combine the vinegar and seasonings in the blender jar or in the food processor work bowl.

4. With the blender or food processor running at high speed, pour the oil in a thin stream through the lid opening or feed tube.

5. Taste and correct the flavor balance.

Vinaigrettes

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Balancing and Seasoning Vinaigrettes• It is important to be able to evaluate the vinaigrette’s flavor balance.• Keep in mind the following:

– Acid is a strong, fundamental taste that can overwhelm more subtle flavors.

– Salt balances the effect of acid on the palate.

– Sweet ingredients (i.e., sugar, honey, or fruit juices) also balance the effect of the acid component.

– Blend the fundamental flavors so they complement each other and the food the vinaigrette will dress.

• The best way to judge a vinaigrette’s seasoning and its acid-oil balance is to dip a piece of clean, dry lettuce into it and taste the two together.

Vinaigrettes

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Methods to Fix a Broken Vinaigrette1. Method 1

– Place the room-temperature broken vinaigrette in a blender and blend at high speed. The blender blades in the tight confines of a blender jar will put almost any broken vinaigrette back into emulsion.

Vinaigrettes

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Methods to Fix a Broken Vinaigrette2. Method 2

– Start a new batch of vinaigrette and whisk the room-temperature broken vinaigrette into the new vinegar base along with the oil.

– This will result in having twice as much vinaigrette as you originally intended to make.

3. Method 3– If time allows, wait for the broken vinaigrette

to come to room temperature and completely separate. Ladle off the oil and begin again.

Vinaigrettes

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Method 2, Vinaigrette repair


• A cool permanent emulsion sauce classically made from vegetable oil, vinegar, and egg yolks.

• Mayonnaise is the basis of a variety of dips, spreads, and dressings:– Can be made thick enough to bind the elements of a composed salad.

– Can be made thin enough to pour as a sauce.

– Can act as a bland base for other stronger and more highly seasoned ingredients.

– Can be boldly flavored enough to stand on its own.

• Nappé consistency: thick enough to coat a cool, clean, metal spoon yet thin enough to flow on the plate.

– Mayonnaise as a sauce is prepared so as to have a nappé consistency, similar to that of a classic velouté sauce.

Mayonnaise

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Ingredients for Mayonnaise• The basic ingredients of classic mayonnaise are egg

yolks, oil, salt, and vinegar.• Many chefs prefer to use lemon juice instead of vinegar.

Mayonnaise

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Understanding Mayonnaise Emulsions• As for vinaigrette, mayonnaise preparation depends on vigorous

agitation and on the oil being beaten into the water base very slowly.– When making mayonnaise, begin adding the oil to the base literally one

drop at a time.

• Unlike a vinaigrette emulsion, a mayonnaise emulsion is permanent.– It is strongly stabilized by the addition of egg yolk, an ingredient that

contains lecithin, a powerful emulsifier.

• Mayonnaise is frequently called a “cold” emulsion sauce because the permanent emulsion is achieved without the application of heat

Mayonnaise

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Understanding Mayonnaise Emulsions• To create a successful mayonnaise emulsion:

– All ingredients must be at about room temperature, around 70°F (21°C).

– Remove the egg yolks from the refrigerator or freezer ahead of time to reach the proper temperature by the time you begin preparation.

– If your oil is refrigerated, bring it to room temperature as well.

• To achieve a light, fluffy texture in your mayonnaise:– Have sufficient water in the emulsion.

– You can add water to the acid base, or you may add water while incorporating the oil.

Mayonnaise

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Understanding Mayonnaise Emulsions• Caught emulsion: The point when a

developing mayonnaise clings to the blades of the whisk and forms a ribbon on the surface when falling back into the bowl.– Once the emulsion has caught, add the oil more

quickly and whip it in more gently.

• Tight mayonnaise: An overthickened and oily mayonnaise that results from beating too hard and adding oil too slowly.– Has an unpleasant greenish color and feels

greasy on the tongue.

Mayonnaise

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Thick and nappé mayonnaise


The Science of Emulsifiers• Egg yolks contain lecithin in large amounts, making them useful for

emulsifying sauces (e.g., hollandaise and mayonnaise).• Lecithin is related to fat and has an electrical charge at one end

that is attracted to water.– An oil droplet coated with lecithin is attracted to water more than to

other oil droplets.

– Many other protein molecules work in a similar way, forming long chains of amino acids. Some segments are attracted to water and some to oil.

Mayonnaise

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Guidelines for Preparing Mayonnaise• When deciding on the amount of watery ingredients to add to a

mayonnaise, keep the following facts in mind:– The higher the proportion of oil, the thicker the mayonnaise will be.

– The higher the proportion of water-based ingredients, the thinner the mayonnaise will be.

– By adjusting the amount of water-based ingredients, you can create a thick mayonnaise to use as a sandwich spread or a salad binder, or a thinner nappé mayonnaise to use as a sauce.

Mayonnaise

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Failed Mayonnaise• If the watery ingredients and the oil do

not successfully emulsify, the result is a failed mayonnaise.

• Two main causes:1. The ingredients were too warm or too

cold.

2. The oil was incorporated too quickly.

Troubleshooting Mayonnaise

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Broken Mayonnaise• If a properly emulsified mayonnaise comes apart and

the oil and liquid separate, the result is a broken mayonnaise.

• Three basic causes:1. Too much oil was added to the yolk-acid base.

2. At some point, the oil was added too quickly.

3. If a finished, successful mayonnaise breaks when additional ingredients are added to it, the finished mayonnaise was whipped or vigorously stirred while cold.


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Method to Repair Failed or Broken Mayonnaise• Traditional Double-Batch Repair

1. Start with a new set of yolk, acid, and salt.

2. Whip the failed/broken mayonnaise into the new yolk-acid base 1 drop at a time. (A)

3. Add the proper amount of new oil. (B)


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(A) (B)


Method to Repair Failed or Broken Mayonnaise• Single-Batch Repair

1. Ladle off the oil from the separated mayonnaise and reserve.

2. Bring the base and oil to room temperature.

3. Vigorously whisk the yolk-acid base, and carefully whisk in the removed oil, drop by drop, until the emulsion catches.

4. Proceed as usual.


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Allow the broken mayonnaise to standuntil the oil separates from the yolk base.


Guidelines for Food Safety for Mayonnaise• To avoid the dangers of food-borne illness, observe the following

food safety guidelines when preparing or using mayonnaise.• Use pasteurized egg yolks.• In mayonnaise, the eggs remain raw, so harmful microorganisms are

not killed by heat.• As pasteurized yolks are sold frozen, thaw them under refrigeration

and then bring the refrigerated yolks to room temperature quickly.• To avoid bacterial growth, yolks should spend as little time as

possible at room temperature.• Sanitize all tools and containers.

Mayonnaise

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Guidelines for Food Safety for Mayonnaise• Even if made from pasteurized yolks, mayonnaise is still a good

breeding ground for bacteria that may contaminate it during production and storage.

• Keep mayonnaise refrigerated until it is needed.• Limit to 1 hour or less the amount of time house-made mayonnaise

remains in the temperature danger zone (41°–135°F/5°–57°C/in Canada: 40°F–140°F/4°C–69°C).).

• Label house-made mayonnaise with the time it was made as well as the date.

• Discard refrigerated house-made mayonnaise after 48 hours, even if it appears to be still good.

Mayonnaise

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• Fresh cream, buttermilk, and most yogurts need additional thickening.

• Dressings based on fresh cream, buttermilk, and most yogurts need additional thickening.

• To function successfully as a salad dressing, a dairy-based sauce must be seasoned with an acid ingredient.

• Traditional cream dressings are flavored with malt vinegar or cider vinegar.

Dairy-Based Sauces

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• Sauces made from fruits and vegetables were not commonly featured on formal menus until the end of the twentieth century.

• The growing interest in world cuisines, as well as the demand for lighter, lower-calorie dishes, now make salsas, relishes, chutneys, and vegetable and fruit purées important elements in the garde manger repertoire.

Cold Sauces Made From Vegetables and Fruits

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Salsas• One of the most popular, widely used cold sauces in North America. • Accompanies Mexican and Mexican-American dishes and is an

ingredient in many standard sandwiches, sauces, dips, and appetizers. – Bottled salsas, called cooked salsas, are typically made from

tomatoes, onions, garlic, and various types of chiles, as well as natural and artificial thickeners, stabilizers, and preservatives.

– Salsa fresca, or fresh salsa, is made from tomatoes or other soft, juicy vegetables or fruits that have not been cooked.

• Sometimes requires a brief blanching in order to remove the skins.


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Salsas• Relish (fresh, or uncooked): Ingredients fabricated into small dice

and simply tossed together.• When traditional salsa ingredients are prepared this way, the sauce

is called pico de gallo . • A traditional salsa made from firm, ripe avocadoes is guacamole .


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Procedure for Making Fresh Salsa1. Place chopped chiles, onions, and other

aromatic vegetables in a mortar or heavy bowl, and add approximately half of the salt.

2. Using a pestle, potato masher, or mallet, pound the aromatics into a rough paste (A).

3. Add the tomatoes (or other main ingredient vegetable or fruit) to the aromatics paste, and pound or grind into a rough purée (B).

4. Taste and correct the salt.

5. Balance the acidity with citrus juice, if needed.

6. Stir in chopped fresh herbs (C).


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(A)

(B)

(C)


Vegetables and Fruit Purées• Many vegetables and fruits can be puréed to a sauce like

consistency by grinding them into a pulp, which is usually strained through a sieve or food mill for smoothness.

• The term purée can also be applied to smooth mixtures of foods of varying thickness other than vegetables and fruits.

• A puréed sauce made from a vegetable or fruit is more specifically called a coulis .


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Procedure for Making Vegetable or Fruit Coulis1. If necessary, skin the vegetable(s) or fruit by

blanching and refreshing, roasting or charring or paring.

2. Trim and discard cores, hulls, seeds, and unripe areas.

3. Chop the vegetable(s) or fruit into small pieces (A).

4. Transfer the pulp to a food mill, strainer, or drum sieve set over a bowl. Strain the pulp by forcing it through the sieve (C).

5. If necessary, thin the purée to the desired texture.

6. Season the purée as desired.


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(A)

(B)

(C)

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Sauces and Dressings 2 Chapter Copyright © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved