soupnancy

I’m a sauce girl.

At work, I put lots of love into my sauces, starting with deer, duck or mushroom stock. At home, I like to keep on hand ready-to-use stock reductions, MEP to be able to make a quick and delicious sauce without too much work or planning ahead.

When cooking meat, I always prefer a pan to the grill, even in summer since I hate to miss out on deglazing the pan for sauce. I care more about the sauce than the meat itself.

I think everyone should have a few sauces under their belt for a life worth living.

When I was teaching this winter, after learning a few classic 'mother' type sauces, my students were pleased with this easy one, reminding me to share it.

In a pinch, it's a favourite one to whip up that requires nothing but a few pantry/fridge staples.. Particularly good with fish and poultry, it is quite passé-partout (versatile).

I call it my minute sauce because it literally takes a minute if you make a small batch, say for two. It’s a cross between a classic wine cream reduction and a sauce vierge/warm vinaigrette à la Anne Desjardins (Eau à la Bouche). 

I remember seeing her make her 10 second sauce by combining lemon juice or a good wine vinegar, a good olive oil, a touch of cream and some fresh herbs in a mini copper saucepan, marvelling at the delicious simplicity - how dare she! (Not to mention that the broken emulsion look was not yet hip, seen as a flaw in classic cuisine).  I like adding the shallot wine reduction and a mix of fresh and/or dry herbs. We have a salted wild herb pesto that keeps in the fridge year-round that’s got mustardy, garlicky kick with anise, parsley, celery notes -a life-saver and full of summer flavours, but any pesto or mix of chopped herbs (dill, tarragon, parsley, basil, chives..) will do..

Wild herb minute sauce

Chef Nancy Hinton, Les Jardins Sauvages

4-8 portions

45ml (3 Tbsp)                        chopped French shallots (1)

30ml (2 Tbsp)                        good cold press olive, canola, hemp or sunflower oil (or JS wild herb oil)

2-5ml (1/2-1 tsp)                   minced garlic (optional)

60ml (1/4 c)                           white wine or cider

125ml (1/2 c)                         heavy cream 35%

30ml (2 Tbsp)                        Pesto or JS salted herb pesto

2-5ml (1/2-1tsp)                    good cider, wine or sherry vinegar or lemon juice

To taste                                  sel, poivre

To taste                                  hot pepper sauce

Method :

Sweat shallots (and garlic if using) in oil for a few seconds in a small pot or saucepan.

Add wine and reduce to a third, almost dry.

Add cream and herb pesto, reduce by half or to desired consistency.

Season to taste with a touch of acidity, spice and salt & pepper.. 

*Depending on pesto or salted herbs used, you might very well not add salt or garlic.

*Serve with fish, poultry, pork, red meat, eggs, vegetables/legumes or pasta..

Sauce minute aux herbes sauvages

Chef Nancy Hinton, Les Jardins Sauvages

4-6 portions 

45ml (3 c.a.s.)                       échalotes françaises émincés  

30ml (2 cu.à soupe)             bonne huile première pression huile d’olive, canola ou tournesol (ou huile d’herbes sauvages JS)

2-5ml (1/2-1 cu.à the)          d’ail émincé (option)

60ml (1/4 t)                            vin blanc ou cidre

125ml (1/2 t)                          crème 35%

30ml (2 c.a.s.)                       herbes salées/pesto d’herbes sauvages/pesto d’herbes au choix

2-5ml (1/2-1c.a.t.)                 bon vinaigre de cidre, Xeres ou jus de citron

Gouttes/au gout                   huile de piments/sauce au piments ou pincé piment broyé

au goût                                  sel, poivre

Méthode:

1. Ajouter vin blanc et réduire à un tiers, quasiment à sec.
2. Ajouter crème et herbes salées. Réduire à moitié ou jusqu’à consistance désirée.
3. Assaisonner au gout avec acidité, piquant, sel & poivre.

*Dépendant des herbes salées ou pesto choisis, probablement pas besoin de sel.

*Servir avec poisson, volaille, porc, viande rouge, œufs, pasta, legumes ou légumineuses..