Sauces 1: Glace and Clarified Butter
This segment deals with the most basic of all sauces, reducing stock over several hours (addressed in the previous segment) to create a "glace" (which ends up as a syrupy glaze), and Chef Angus explains its uses and benefits. Sparing viewers the tedious process of watching 20 quarts reduced to one quart, the time-consuming production of the glace is quickened with time-lapse video. The final critical aspect of being able to tell when you finally have a glace is also explained in detail and how to store the precious end result. Chef Angus demonstrates how to use a glace in the creation of a sauce.
Another foundational subject addressed in this episode is the production of clarified butter, which is essential for the production of many other sauces and dishes. As Chef Angus explains, clarified butter results from purifying butterfat, and allowing the water and milk solids to be removed. The process is outlined, beginning with a whole chunk of butter, progressing through straining the final product.
Chef Angus closes with the preparation of one of his favorite sauces, a mango chutney he learned to produce while working in the Caribbean. Chutney is explained to be a sweet-and-sour condiment made of fruits and or vegetables cooked in vinegar with sugar and spices. A very versatile sauce, chutneys can be served cold, warm or hot on a variety of dishes. Chef Angus explains how one must listen for the “rasping” of the chutney to know it is finished.