ROUX

ROUX

A cooked mixture of equal amounts of flour and butter, used to thicken many sauces. The cooking periods vary, depending on the colour of ROUX required (a white or blond roux for a white sauce; a brown roux for a brown sauce).

A white roux should, in theory, remain white. However, as it must also be cooked long enough to lose its floury taste, it is advisable to cook it until it just beginning to take on a golden colour (blond). Blended with milk, a white or blond roux is used for a bchamel sauce; blended with a white veal stock it makes a VEAL VELOUT, with chicken stock, a CHICKEN VELOUT, and with fish stock, a FISH VELOUT.

A brown ROUX, cooked just long enough to obtain a light brown colour, is used to thicken ESPAGNOLE SAUCE and DEMI-GLACE SAUCES.