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MY
ROUSES
EVERYDAY
NOVEMBER | DECEMBER 2016
M
aking roux is not nearly as
difficult as it may sound and
can be a serene experience.
Depending on skill and speed, creating a
light “blonde” roux (also the beginning of
a béchamel sauce) can take a few minutes,
although it can require at least half an hour
of diligent stirring over a very low heat to
completely cook the raw flour flavor out,
and a dark roux can require up to 45 minutes
to an hour. Some experienced chefs can do
it quickly over a higher heat, but I wouldn’t
recommend it. When they say don’t try this
at home, no one is kidding.
The great news is that roux freezes
beautifully. So make a large batch, cool it,
then portion it into small containers and
freeze it for future use.
A roux is nothing more than flour browned
in oil or fat, and it delivers much more
flavor than that would suggest. The raw-
flour taste is eliminated in the final product,
and the chemical reaction created by the
flour browning in the hot oil imparts a
nutty, smoky flavor that deepens as the roux
becomes darker.
Some cooks prefer a thicker roux, using
more flour than oil. The language of roux
pertains to its different hues, which can
range from a barely colored tan to the color
of peanut butter and through café au lait
to dark mahogany. Before choosing the
oil or fat, decide on the flavor and color of
roux you’re seeking. For example, a blonde
roux’s flavor is more subtle but has more
thickening power than a dark roux.
The appropriate oil is anything from
vegetable oil, olive oil, or canola oil to bacon
grease, Crisco, or lard. Butter burns easily
at low temperatures, so unless it is clarified
and the solids skimmed off, it will not work
easily for a darker roux.
While white all-purpose flour is the norm,
whole-wheat flour imparts a lovely nutty
flavor. The one-to-one ratio of oil and flour
is standard, although some cooks prefer a bit
more flour than oil, as much as half a cup of
flour on a one-cup-to-one-cup measurement.
If the
Roux Fits
by
Kit Wohl
the
Holiday
issue