I'm cooking a seafood creole dish, and with many things creole, begins
with a roux. I know a roux adds flavor but I believe it's main
function is to act as a thickener. So why do some recipies start with
a roux, and some add a thickening agent later? - Mike

Mike wrote:
> I'm cooking a seafood creole dish, and with many things creole, begins
> with a roux. I know a roux adds flavor but I believe it's main
> function is to act as a thickener. So why do some recipies start with
> a roux, and some add a thickening agent later? - Mike

I think that a roux makes a richer and more flavourful thickener for the
sauce. A corn starch slurry can be used to thicken the sauce quickly,
but results in a bland glossy sauce. You can always add a little
cornstarch (in a slurry ) later on if you need it thicker, but I think
that a potato starch thickener like Veloutine might give you better
results.

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
> I'm cooking a seafood creole dish, and with many things creole, begins
> with a roux. I know a roux adds flavor but I believe it's main
> function is to act as a thickener. So why do some recipies start with
> a roux, and some add a thickening agent later? - Mike

Gumbo et al are kind of different in that the roux is a very dark, brick
red. The darker the roux, the lesser the thickening ability. This kind of
roux adds a lot of color, some flavor and just a little thickening. I think
it's main function is color and flavor.

Paul

"Dave Smith" > wrote in message
...
> Mike wrote:
>> I'm cooking a seafood creole dish, and with many things creole, begins
>> with a roux. I know a roux adds flavor but I believe it's main
>> function is to act as a thickener. So why do some recipies start with
>> a roux, and some add a thickening agent later? - Mike
>
> I think that a roux makes a richer and more flavourful thickener for the
> sauce. A corn starch slurry can be used to thicken the sauce quickly, but
> results in a bland glossy sauce. You can always add a little cornstarch
> (in a slurry ) later on if you need it thicker, but I think that a potato
> starch thickener like Veloutine might give you better results.
>
>
A roux thickened sauce is richer only because of its fat component; it's
richer if that is butter, and less otherwise. Cooking the roux adds
something to the flavor of a dish, especially if it's a dark brown roux.
There's not, however, much you can do to enhance the flavor of flour. What's
important is to cook the flour. No one wants to eat raw flour. Cornstarch
even takes that a step lower. It has absolutely no taste. It thickens and
that's it. The problem with cornstarch is that when you warm up your
thickened sauce the next day it's thin again. Cornstarch is used very
appropriately in stir fried dishes, where you want a bit of thickness and
you don't care about the leftover. Cornstarch thickened sauces are usually
too shiny for me[bland and glossy].

Ed

"Mike" > wrote in message
...
> I'm cooking a seafood creole dish, and with many things creole, begins
> with a roux. I know a roux adds flavor but I believe it's main
> function is to act as a thickener. So why do some recipies start with
> a roux, and some add a thickening agent later? - Mike

Flavor, man. Butter and browned flour or just pasty, tasteless corn starch..
What is wrong with you?

"Paul M. Cook" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Mike" > wrote in message
> ...
>> I'm cooking a seafood creole dish, and with many things creole, begins
>> with a roux. I know a roux adds flavor but I believe it's main
>> function is to act as a thickener. So why do some recipies start with
>> a roux, and some add a thickening agent later? - Mike
>
> Gumbo et al are kind of different in that the roux is a very dark, brick
> red. The darker the roux, the lesser the thickening ability. This kind
> of roux adds a lot of color, some flavor and just a little thickening. I
> think it's main function is color and flavor.
>
> Paul


What he said - in addition I think the dark roux's add a nutty flavor.


--
Dimitri
Coming soon:
http://kitchenguide.wordpress.com.

"Dimitri" > wrote in message
...
>
> "Paul M. Cook" > wrote in message
> ...
>>
>> "Mike" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> I'm cooking a seafood creole dish, and with many things creole, begins
>>> with a roux. I know a roux adds flavor but I believe it's main
>>> function is to act as a thickener. So why do some recipies start with
>>> a roux, and some add a thickening agent later? - Mike
>>
>> Gumbo et al are kind of different in that the roux is a very dark, brick
>> red. The darker the roux, the lesser the thickening ability. This kind
>> of roux adds a lot of color, some flavor and just a little thickening. I
>> think it's main function is color and flavor.
>>
>> Paul
>
>
> What he said - in addition I think the dark roux's add a nutty flavor.
>

They do. I really love a medium-dark roux since I made etouffee.