Sauce Gribiche

July 16, 2010

Sauce Gribiche - kvalifood.com

Sauce gribiche is a cold French emulsion sauce based on hard-boiled egg yolks rather than raw yolks like mayonnaise. The yolks are mashed with mustard and vinegar, oil is whisked in, and chopped egg whites, cornichons, capers, and herbs are folded in. It is traditionally served with calf’s head, poached fish, and cold terrines.

Makes about 1 1/2 cups, serves 6-8

Ingredients

4 large eggs, hard-boiled (10 minutes), cooled and peeled
15 g Dijon mustard
30 mL white wine vinegar
~180 mL neutral oil (sunflower, grapeseed, or canola)
2 tbsp capers, drained and roughly chopped
4-6 cornichons (~40 g), finely chopped
2 tbsp fresh flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh tarragon, finely chopped
1 tbsp fresh chervil, finely chopped (if available; otherwise increase parsley by 1 tbsp)
Fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

Halve the hard-boiled eggs and separate the yolks from the whites. Place the yolks in a mixing bowl.
Mash the yolks thoroughly with a fork (or mortar and pestle) until completely smooth, with no lumps remaining. Add the Dijon mustard, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Mash to combine into a uniform paste.
Add the vinegar and stir to incorporate.
Begin adding the oil in a very thin stream, whisking constantly, exactly as you would when making mayonnaise. The emulsion will start to thicken. Continue until all the oil is incorporated and the sauce is thick and creamy. If it becomes too thick to whisk, add a few drops of vinegar or warm water to loosen it.
Cut the egg whites into fine julienne strips or small dice (~3 mm). Fold into the sauce.
Fold in the chopped capers and cornichons.
Just before serving, fold in the chopped parsley, tarragon, and chervil. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Notes

Oil ratio: This recipe uses ~45 mL oil per yolk, which sits between the very rich Escoffier ratio (~79 mL/yolk) and the lighter modern versions (~39 mL/yolk). It produces a saucy but not overwhelmingly oily result. For a richer, more classical texture, increase oil to 1 cup (240 mL).
Julienne whites: Escoffier specifies julienne-cut whites, which gives a more refined appearance than rough chopping. Worth doing for presentation.
Storage: Keeps 3-4 days refrigerated in an airtight container. Add herbs fresh just before serving for best color and flavor.
Serving temperature: Always cold or at cool room temperature. Never heated.
Classic pairings: Tete de veau (calf’s head), pot-au-feu, poached fish (cod, mackerel), boiled chicken, steamed asparagus, leeks, boiled potatoes.
EVOO variation: If using extra virgin olive oil instead of neutral oil, choose a mild/buttery one. A peppery EVOO will dominate the herbs.