Aromatics

When preparing Sauce Américaine and Crayfish Sauce, shallots and garlic are used for the Américaine and a mirepoix—in this case, a mixture of chopped carrots, shallots, garlic, and celery—is used for the Crayfish Sauce. These elements provide complexity and help round out the flavors of the sauces. It is possible to add other flavorings to these initial ingredients, such as extra garlic, chopped fennel (which beautifully accents the flavors of crustaceans), and a variety of herbs. Once these ingredients are moistened, a classic bouquet garni of parsley, fresh thyme, and bay leaf is added during the cooking. This bouquet garni can be altered to give the sauce a different character. Sprigs of fresh marjoram, wild thyme, or oregano can be used to give it an Italian or southern French accent. Fennel greens or tarragon can also be used to liven up the sauce. Remember, again, when flavoring a sauce at this early stage, only the more aggressively flavored herbs (see “Herbs,”) will contribute flavor that will last through all the stages of making the sauce. When using delicate herbs such as chervil and chives, or herbs whose flavor is extremely volatile, such as basil, add them near the end of the sauce’s preparation. It also helps to incorporate these herbs into compound butters, chopping the herbs and butter together so that the herbs have little contact with air. The butter prevents the herbs from darkening and seals in their flavor until the last minute when the butter is whisked into the sauce.