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From: eac@drutx.UUCP (CveticEA)
Newsgroups: net.cooks
Subject: Re: Cream of <X> soup (really thickeners)
Message-ID: <461@drutx.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 12-Sep-85 10:46:33 EDT
Article-I.D.: drutx.461
Posted: Thu Sep 12 10:46:33 1985
Date-Received: Fri, 13-Sep-85 04:21:20 EDT
References: <11517@rochester.UUCP>
Organization: AT&T Information Systems Laboratories, Denver
Lines: 23

A helpful tip for thickening things with roux (gravies, soups, etc.)

The first rule of thickening is to use a hot roux with cold liquid or hot
liquid with cold roux.  In the latter case I have found the following to
be quite handy:

Make a lot of roux by melting 1 cup of butter (unsalted) and cooking 1
cup of flour in it, just like you would for any white sauce.  Cool this
mixture until it gets a bit thick.  Pour 1 T globs of it on waxed paper and
freeze until set.  You can then store these in a freezer bag or a plastic
container.  Now when you want to thicken something hot, just plunk in the
appropriate amount of roux chips.  About 2 per cup of liquid will produce
the consistency of a medium white sauce.  You can keep adding roux until
you have the desired consistency.  This is extra handy if you have just
made a gravy with the hot roux/cold stock method, it is bubbling, and you
didn't get it quite thick enough--just pop a little roux from the freezer
into it and the problem is solved.

If you want to get really fancy, you can season the roux to taste, but this
of course, may limit its uses.

Betsy Cvetic
ihnp4!drutx!eac