Recipes: All three use the same two ingredients of butter and flour.

 

The Brown Roux: In a heavy bottom saute pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Using a wooden roux spoon, add flour, stirring constantly until flour becomes light brown. You must continue stirring during the cooking process, as flour will tend to scorch as browning process proceeds. Should black specks appear in the roux, discard and begin again. This volume of roux will thicken three cups of stock to sauce consistency.

 

The Blonde Butter Roux: In a heavy bottom saute pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Proceed exactly as in the brown roux recipe, however, only cook to the pale gold state. This roux is popular in Creole cooking and will thicken three cups of stock to a sauce consistency.

 

White Butter Roux: In a heavy bottom saute pan, melt butter over medium high heat. Proceed exactly as in the blonde roux recipe, however, only cook until the flour and butter are well blended and bubbly. Do not brown. This classical style roux is popular in Creole cooking and will thicken three cups of stock to a sauce consistency.

 

Applications: The Butter Base Roux (the classical and Creole rouxs) 1 cup butter and 1 cup flour will thicken the following: 6 cups stock to a thick white sauce consistency, 8 cups stock to a concentrated soup consistency, 10 cups stock to a thick soup consistency, 12 cups stock to a perfect Louisiana gumbo consistency and 14 cups stock to a light gumbo consistency. It should be noted that the butter base rouxs may be made well in advance, cooled, separated into half cup portions and placed in the refrigerator or freezer. The roux will keep well for months and always be available to you should an emergency arise.