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Conference turris::cooks

Title:How to Make them Goodies
Notice:Please Don't Start New Notes for Old Topics! Check 5.*
Moderator:FUTURE::DDESMAISONSec.com::winalski
Created:Wed Feb 19 1986
Last Modified:Thu Jun 05 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:4127
Total number of notes:31160

2555.0. "Ruined sauce....." by TPLAB::HEGARTY () Tue Aug 07 1990 15:10

    
    	I'm afraid its the rookie cook again - this time soliciting
    advice on sauces. Some of my first few attempts at sauces have
    aborted - usually because the sauce has 'split'. In most cases,
    its been a cream-based sauce.
    
    	I'm sure there are some simple reasons for this type of
    occurence. Can someone provide a few general hints on how to
    avoid this?
    
    	BTW, thanks to all who replied to my earlier note.
    
    
    						Patrick H.
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2555.1When they say low heat, they mean LOW!SSGBPM::KENAHParsifalTue Aug 07 1990 15:2211
    Simplest reason -- too much heat --  there are several ways to
    recombine "split sauces", but the most important thing is, first:
    remove it from the heat.  
    
    Often just adding a bit more cream and whisking the sauce briskly
    wil recombine it -- sometimes, whisking alone will suffice.
    
    Yet again, I'll recommend the Joy of Cooking, one of the best
    cooking textbooks ever written.
    
    					andrew
2555.2Reverse way of adding creamMAJORS::MANDALINCIWed Aug 08 1990 10:0815
    Definitely too much heat. The trick I found with cream-based sauces is
    to remove the pan from the heat and add very slowly the cream
    ingredient while whisking at the same time.
    
    Another trick I have found after "splitting" a pot of yogurt soup is to
    pour the cream in a bowl (in my case the yougurt) and gradually add the
    hot ingredients stirring all the while. You are slowly heating up the
    cream rather then pouring the cream into a hot pot. My yogurt soup
    directions specifically say add the HOT beef-based broth into the
    yogurt very slowly and I cheated once and decided to just add the
    yogurt very slowly to the hot broth. It "split" and I learned why.
          
    Good luck. Keep trying - playing in the kitchen is so much fun!!
    
    Andrea
2555.3Curdle CureTYGON::WILDEAsk yourself..am I a happy cow?Wed Aug 08 1990 20:3114
I love the term "split" - it really is more appropriate to the condition,
however, if you are soliciting advice, it may confuse folks...the "official"
term for the condition you describe is "curdle", as in "my cream sauce has
curdled - what do I do?"...and the advice of adding more of the 
cream/yoghurt/milk in tiny increments (oh no, not INCREMENTS!  I've been
working on computers too long)..in tiny amounts, like a teaspoon or so, at
a time, stirring constantly, is the best advice.  One note:  some sauces
that are not cream based - hollendaise for instance - can also curdle.  The
recommendation to bring these sauces back to life is to stir in cold water
(in drops - remember) or broth or juice, whichever is appropriate.

	Cooking is the one form of art available to even us klutzes...

			Enjoy!