The Good Kitchen Mother Sauces
What are Mother Sauces?
"Mother Sauces" is a culinary term based on 5 classical French Base Sauces, to which most other sauces are derived. Here at The Good Kitchen we have created 5 of our own.
"The five French mother sauces are béchamel, velouté, espagnole, hollandaise, and tomato."
Developed in the 19th century by French chef Auguste Escoffier, mother sauces serve as a starting point for a variety of delicious sauces used to complement countless dishes, including veggies, fish, meat, casseroles, and pastas."
~ Healthline
Classical French cuisine has been extraordinarily influential in the culinary world.The Good Kitchen is paying forward what Auguste Escoffier created in the 1800’s.
Classical Mother Sauces give birth to the creation of endless possibilities. Even if you don’t fancy yourself a chef, with just a little creativity and luck you can create flavorful sauces, dips and spreads.
TGK Mother Sauces are an integral part of meal creation and variety. As the seasons change we swap, add or replace ingredients. Building creative and flavorful meals.
The Five TGK Mother Sauces
Spinach Pecan Pesto
Uses
- These work great on grilled or roasted seafood dishes & chicken dishes
- Toss it in some pasta, rice or grain salad.
- Hot or cold. Great to have in the refrigerator to add quick herbal flavor to dishes
Variations
- Add some cheese for a non dairy free version
- Add some aleppo chile to spice it up or puree in fresh jalapenos
- Use different soft leaf herbs (parsley, basil, sage, tarragon, cilantro) or nuts
- Add lime juice and create a zesty chimichurri
- Add chopped egg, mustard and lemon for a classic French Gribiche as a dip or sauce
- Add flavorings you like. Mother sauces are a base. Be creative, use what you have in the refrigerator. You're the chef!
Sweet & Sour Sauce
Uses
- Use as is for a soy free chicken and cashew stir fry, or dipping sauce
Variations
- Add this (hot or cold) to rice, noodles, vegetables, stews, wings, chicken salad
- Add chili paste and herbs for a great flavor for your poke bowl
- Add your favorite hot sauce for that spicy sweet and sour wing sauce, shrimp or tuna poke bowl
- Add citrus or yuzu and use on raw or cooked seafood, chicken or pork dishes for a zesty flavor
- Add some jerk seasoning and added mango or pineapple chunks for a Caribbean flare to any dish
- Change the herbs with the seasons or your gardens bounty
Harissa Sauce
Uses
- Great to use as a dipping sauce for crudite.
Variations
- Experiment with the use of other dried chiles
- Experiment with the use of other spices like cumin & sweet spices
- Substitute sundried tomatoes
Romesco Sauce
Uses
- Use as a drizzle sauce over rice and chicken dishes.
- Use as a spread on a crostini with shrimp, roasted vegetables or poultry, for a holiday Hor D'oeuvre.
Variations
- Substitute some roasted poblano or another chile from the garden, for the roasted sweet pepper
- Substitute another nut for the almond or a combination of your favorite nuts
- Substitute roasted garlic for raw or a combination of fresh and roasted garlic
- Substitute tomato with sundried tomato
- Add some water and puree smooth for a full flavored dip
Cacciatore Sauce
Uses
- Your basic tomato sauce for anything from Chicken Parm to Eggplant Rollatini.
Variations
- Add a good bit of Spinach Pecan Pesto for a bright fresh flavor
- Stew your homemade meatballs in this sauce for 20 minutes
- Add a touch of pancetta and cream for a great A La Vodka sauce
- Add a rich broth and puree a little smoother for the base of a tomato soup
- Add garam masala and some coconut yogurt for a unique Tikka Masala
