Authentic Velouté Recipe France, Europe

A true classic of French cuisine, sauce velouté is a velvety concoction of veal, chicken, or fish stock and roux — melted butter thickened with flour. Although it may seem simple at first glance, its preparation is quite time-consuming, and, when done right, employs a number of culinary techniques. The preparation starts with making the stock. Fresh bones are broken into pieces and simmered in water. Although roasting the bones is more than welcomed in the preparation of some stocks and soups, in this case, it should be avoided. During the lengthy cooking process, which can take up to 5 hours, the fat and the impurities must be skimmed off the surface regularly, in order for the stock reach its clear texture. Meat, carrots, onions, leeks, and herbs are added in the next step, and the stock is simmered for an additional 3 hours. It is then strained and set aside to cool slightly while moving on to the following chapter — the roux. Butter and ... Read more