Soubise sauce facts for kids
Preparation of veal Orloff. The veal is covered by a soubise-mushroom sauce.
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| Type | Sauce |
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| Main ingredients | Butter, onions |
Soubise sauce is a creamy and delicious onion sauce. It's often served with different kinds of meat, poultry, and vegetables. Think of it as a special topping that makes your food taste even better! This sauce has been around for a long time, with its first mention in records dating back to 1836.
Contents
What is Soubise Sauce?
Soubise sauce is usually made by cooking onions until they are very soft. These onions are then mixed with a thick, creamy sauce. This creamy base can be a Béchamel sauce (a classic white sauce made with butter, flour, and milk), or sometimes it's thickened with pounded cooked rice or just cream.
It's a versatile sauce, meaning it goes well with many different foods. You might find it served with roasted meats, game (like deer or rabbit), chicken, or even simple vegetables. In the past, it was often used to completely cover meat dishes.
The Story of Soubise Sauce
How it Got its Name
Many people believe this sauce was named after a French prince. His name was Charles de Rohan, Prince de Soubise. He was a famous person in France many years ago, and it's thought the sauce was created in his honor.
Famous Chefs and Their Recipes
Over the years, many famous chefs have created their own versions of Soubise sauce.
- Auguste Escoffier: A very well-known French chef named Auguste Escoffier had a popular recipe. He would cook onions in butter until they were soft. Then, he would add a thick béchamel sauce to make it creamy.
- Variations by Escoffier: Escoffier also had other ideas for the sauce. One version used high-starch rice, like Carolina rice, cooked with fatty bacon, onions, and white consommé (a clear soup). After cooking, he would purée the onions and rice. Finally, he would add butter and cream. He noted that using béchamel usually made the sauce smoother than using rice. Sometimes, chefs would add tomato purée, paprika, or curry for extra flavor.
- Charles Elmé Francatelli: An Anglo-Italian chef from the 1800s, Charles Elmé Francatelli, liked to serve Soubise sauce over boiled pheasant. He would serve it with potato croquettes on the side.
- Eliza Acton: An English cookbook author, Eliza Acton, thought Soubise was "the finest kind of onion sauce." She suggested serving it with lamb. She also mentioned it as a good sauce for Veal Fricandeau (a type of veal dish). Her English version of Soubise sauce used rich veal gravy instead of béchamel, finished with cream.
See also
In Spanish: Salsa Soubise para niños
