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Chopped parsley

Make a basic white sauce, add the egg yolks, and blend well with a wooden spoon or whisk. Season with lemon juice and parsley. Be careful not to let the sauce boil after the egg yolks are added.

SAUCE BOURGUIGNONNE

1 small onion

6 mushrooms

4 tablespoons butter

2 cups fish stock

1 cup red wine

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Beurre manié (page 475)

Chopped parsley

Chop the onion very fine and slice the mushrooms very thin. Sauté them in butter until they are cooked through. Add the fish stock and the wine and let it simmer until reduced by half. Correct the seasoning and thicken with beurre manié (balls of butter and flour kneaded together). Add chopped parsley just before serving. Serve with poached fish such as salmon, salmon trout, or sturgeon.

VARIATION

Add anchovy paste to taste along with a dash of lemon juice.

SAUCE HOLLANDAISE

This is sometimes called sauce Isigny. The secret of a good Hollandaise is to use the finest of sweet butter, to be sure the pan in which you make it does not touch the water below, and to be sure that the water never boils. Use either a wooden spoon or a wire whisk (I think the latter is better).

3 egg yolks

1 or 2 teaspoons water

1/4 pound (1/2 cup) butter, cut into small pieces

Few grains cayenne pepper

Few grains salt

Lemon juice or tarragon vinegar

Combine the egg yolks and water in the upper part of a double boiler and whisk over hot water until the eggs are well mixed and slightly thickened. Gradually add the butter. Whisk all the time, and be certain that the water below does not boil. If your sauce becomes too thick, dilute it with a little water. If it curdles, you can bring it back with a little boiling water. When it is properly emulsified, add the cayenne and a few grains of salt and the lemon juice (or vinegar) to taste.

SAUCE MOUSSELINE

This is a combination of equal parts of Hollandaise and whipped cream. It is one of the most delicate sauces in cookery.

SAUCE BÉARNAISE

This is prepared exactly like a Hollandaise except that it has some added flavorings. Take 2 teaspoons of chopped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon of dried, 2 teaspoons of finely chopped shallots or green onions, a small pinch of salt and a pinch of black pepper. Add these to 3 tablespoons of wine vinegar and cook it down until it is practically a glaze. Add this glaze to the egg yolks and then proceed as for Hollandaise. Flavor with finely chopped tarragon, parsley, and chervil, and a speck of cayenne. Add more lemon juice or tarragon vinegar, if you like.

BÉARNAISE TOMATE

This is a blend of Béarnaise and tomato paste, flavored with a little salt and pepper and a bit of tarragon.

DUXELLES

1 medium onion

1/2 pound mushrooms

6 tablespoons butter

1 teaspoon chopped parsley

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Chop the onion very fine. Chop the mushrooms — caps and stems — very fine and press them in a cloth or sieve to release any natural moisture.

Melt the butter in a skillet. Add the onion and let it become just transparent. Add the mushrooms and let them cook down to almost a paste. Add the parsley, salt, and pepper to taste, and cook until there is practically no moisture left. This may be stored in the refrigerator and used for various sauces or stuffings.

SAUCE DUXELLES

This is a very practical sauce as it can be served with a great number of fish dishes.

3/4 cup white wine

3/4 cup fish stock or bouillon

2 tablespoons chopped shallots or onions

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup strong stock (fish or meat)

1/2 cup tomato paste

3 tablespoons duxelles

Combine the wine, the fish stock, and the chopped shallots or onion. Bring to a boil and let it reduce by half. Melt the butter in a large saucepan or skillet, combine with the flour, and let it cook until lightly colored. Gradually stir in the additional stock, the tomato paste, and the reduced wine and broth mixture. Stir until thickened and well blended. Add the duxelles and blend again. Taste for seasoning.

SAUCE A