Senfsosse

February 21, 2010

Senfsosse - kvalifood.com

Senfsosse is a German mustard sauce – a simple bechamel-style sauce flavored with mustard, traditionally served over hard-boiled eggs with boiled potatoes. It is a weeknight staple across Germany, quick to make and quietly satisfying.

Makes ca. 600 ml (sauce only)

Ingredients

40 g butter
1 medium onion (ca. 100 g), finely diced
30 g all-purpose flour
250 ml vegetable broth
350 ml whole milk
2 tbsp medium-hot mustard (mittelscharfer Senf, or Dijon)
1 pinch sugar
salt, to taste
white pepper, to taste
1 tsp lemon juice (optional)
fresh parsley (or chives), for garnish

To serve

8 eggs, boiled 8-10 minutes
boiled (or mashed) potatoes

Directions

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent but not browned, about 3-4 minutes.
Sprinkle the flour over the onion and whisk for about 1 minute to cook out the raw flour taste.
Gradually pour in the broth while whisking constantly, then add the milk in a steady stream, continuing to whisk.
Bring to a gentle simmer. The sauce will thicken as it heats. Cook 3-5 minutes, stirring regularly.
Remove from heat. Stir in the mustard, sugar, and season with salt and white pepper. Add lemon juice if using. The sauce should be noticeably mustardy but not sharp.
Peel the boiled eggs, halve them, and arrange on plates. Pour the sauce over the eggs. Garnish with parsley or chives and serve with potatoes.

Notes

German mittelscharfer Senf is the traditional mustard. Dijon works well. Avoid American yellow mustard (too mild) or English mustard (too aggressive).
For extra texture, replace half the smooth mustard with whole-grain mustard.
The sauce should coat the back of a spoon. If too thick, thin with a splash of milk. If too thin, simmer longer.
10-minute eggs are traditional (firm yolk). 8-minute eggs give a slightly jammy center that mixes nicely with the sauce.
For a richer variant, replace 100 ml of the broth with dry white wine.
The sauce reheats well. Add a splash of milk when reheating as it thickens on standing.