Bringing the Flavors of the World to Your Table
Words by: Mary Davis
Asking a college student about their most frequently used recipes would likely bring an answer featuring Ramen, frozen chicken or a form of eggs. Tightly limited time and resources often leave students in a “food rut” for weeks or months at a time. The mere suggestion of “worldly cuisine” sounds expensive and time-consuming. However, we’d like to show you that doesn’t have to hold true. Below are three simple recipes from three different cuisines that can bring new flavors and methods to your kitchen without added expenses or time demands. Each feature can be added to multiple dishes or varied to fit what you have in your fridge and on your table. Our first stop is the rues de Paris (streets of Paris), courtesy of a recipe from Julia Child in her book “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” (Cite). The second chapter of Child’s book begins, “Sauces are the splendor and glory of French cooking” (pg. 54). Let’s bring some of that splendor and glory home, shall we? In French cooking, a simple white sauce is a foundational tool that can be paired with chicken, fish, eggs or vegetables. White sauces are made by heating and whisking together butter and flour with milk and white stock, forming a mixture called a roux. The two main types of white sauce are Sauce Bechamel, a milk-based foundation with butter, cream, and herbs, and Sauce Velouté, where the roux is moistened with chicken or fish stock and wine. The recipe below takes roughly five minutes and makes about two cups of sauce. Other flavors or features (i.e. cheese, cream, onions, spices, etc.) can be added as desired. (Taken from Julia Child’s “Mastering the Art of French Cooking”)
6
Sauce Veloute
In a 6-cup saucepan…
• 2 Tbsp butter • 3 Tbsp flour • 2 c milk and ¼ tsp salt (brought to a boil) OR 2 c boiling white stock • Salt and white pepper (black works as well, you’ll just be able to see it in the sauce)
Melt the butter over low heat and slowly blend in the flour, stirring for about two minutes until they froth together. This is a roux. Take the roux off the heat and add the boiling milk or white stock. Stir vigorously with a wire whip until everything is thoroughly combined. Then place the saucepan back on moderate-high heat and bring the sauce to a boil, stirring for a minute while boiling. Remove from heat and add salt and pepper to taste. Other seasonings can now be added if desired. Voila!
