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What is RéMoulade Sauce?
Malcolm Tatum
Malcolm Tatum
Rémoulade sauce is a French sauce created with a mayonnaise base. Different recipes make use of a wide range of ingredients to provide the sauce with flavors to compliment a number of dishes. The sauce can be utilized with everything from cold chicken to seafood to crostini. Here are some examples of ingredients that commonly are used to prepare a rémoulade sauce.
A basic recipe calls for mustard to be added to mayonnaise. The mustard can be a simple yellow mustard or one of the spicier brown mustards. Often, minced onions or garlic are also included in the sauce, as well as capers. For a hint of sweetness, it is not unusual for gherkins to be chopped and added to the mixture.
Many different herbs can be added to adapt the flavor of the rémoulade sauce for a specific dish. Chopped chives add color and also help make the sauce ideal for serving with crab cakes or filets of fresh water fish. Parsley and rosemary will add a little extra zing that adapts the sauce nicely for serving over baked chicken breasts. Tossing in a little ketchup and a hot sauce of some type will create a spicy version of the sauce that makes a great topping for crostini.
Because none of the ingredients used in various rémoulade recipes are hard to find, it is very easy to make the sauce at home. This makes it possible to adjust the texture of the sauce to fit any taste or situation. Thicker sauces are often preferable when the entrée calls for a sauce that clings, while a thinner sauce is ideal for use as a dipping sauce or as an added boost to the flavor of the rest of the dish. Should the sauce turn out thicker than desired, adding a small amount of white wine will thin the texture and even add one more layer of flavor to the finished product.
As with many types of sauces, it is better to prepare a rémoulade sauce in advance. Even preparing the sauce one day in advance will allow the ingredients time to begin to mingle and compliment one another. The sauce can be refrigerated until meal time and applied to the entree or other dish just before serving. Storing the rémoulade sauce in an airtight glass jar with a secure lid works very well, and will keep the flavor fresh and inviting for several days if necessary.
Malcolm Tatum
After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.
Learn more...
Malcolm Tatum
After many years in the teleconferencing industry, Michael decided to embrace his passion for trivia, research, and writing by becoming a full-time freelance writer. Since then, he has contributed articles to a variety of print and online publications, including WiseGEEK, and his work has also appeared in poetry collections, devotional anthologies, and several newspapers. Malcolm’s other interests include collecting vinyl records, minor league baseball, and cycling.
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![Rémoulade sometimes includes capers.]()
Rémoulade sometimes includes capers. -
![Crab cakes, which are often served with remoulade sauce.]()
By: blueeeCrab cakes, which are often served with remoulade sauce. -
![Mayonnaise is the typical base for rémoulade sauce.]()
By: AlexandraMayonnaise is the typical base for rémoulade sauce. -
![Gherkins are often chopped up and added to remoulade sauce.]()
By: ChantalSGherkins are often chopped up and added to remoulade sauce. -
![Remoulade sauce can be served with chicken breasts.]()
By: Christian JungRemoulade sauce can be served with chicken breasts. -
![One traditional recipe for remoulade sauce pairs mustard and mayonnaise.]()
By: Sea WaveOne traditional recipe for remoulade sauce pairs mustard and mayonnaise.
Discussion Comments
@Cougars & Babalaas- Those sound like tasty recipes. I like to dip left over pork loin in a spicy mustard remoulade. My remoulade recipe is really simple. I mix a little mayonnaise with cumin, cayenne pepper, spicy brown mustard, and lime juice. It is great with thin sliced pork loin on bagel chips.
@cougars- When I make blackened Cajun shrimp I like to serve it with a cool avocado lime aioli. An aioli is simply a mayonnaise made with extra virgin olive oil and crushed garlic. The dish is amazing and does not take much to make. The part that takes the longest is chilling the shrimp and making the aioli. It is a great dish to make for parties and potlucks.
For the shrimp, I peel and devein them, only leaving the tail. Then I toss them in lime juice and coconut milk, letting them sit until they start to turn a little white (same idea as ceviche). Next, I drain the excess lime and coconut milk and add about a cup of salt free Cajun seasoning for every two pounds of shrimp, adding only enough sea salt to flavor the shrimp. I add enough canola oil to the shrimp until the seasoning becomes a thick paste. I let the shrimp sit in this rub for about four hours, and then cook them on an extremely hot grill.
I make the aioli much the same as you make your mayonnaise. Once the aioli is finished, I add an avocado and enough lime juice and sea salt to give the aioli a nice taste and consistency. I put the aioli in a squeeze bottle and squeeze it over the chilled blackened shrimp in a decorative manner. This is my version of a shrimp remoulade.
@highlighter- Mayonnaise is one of the most basic sauces to make and requires few ingredients and little more than patience. The ratio for a good mayonnaise is one egg yolk for every three quarters to one cup of light oil. The amount of oil depends on the size of the egg yolk. You can season your mayonnaise with things like dry mustard, salt, pepper sauce, vinegar or lemon juice based on your preferences, but what you use depends on your own taste buds.
Before making your mayonnaise, gather the ingredients and let them warm to room temperature. Use the freshest eggs possible. Because of the concerns over food borne illnesses, I only use the freshest, organic eggs I can find from healthy chickens (think farmers market). Mix your dry ingredients with the egg yolks and beat with a whisk just until blended.
Once mixed, beat the egg yolks while slowly adding the oil (add oil in a slow stream just over the speed of drop by drop). The egg yolk will begin to emulsify with the oil. One egg should take about five minutes to mix by hand, and will be stiff once finished. If using a mixer or food processor, use the slowest speed possible so as not to break the egg.
To make remoulade sauce for your crab cakes, follow the recipe given in the article. Saffron and Garlic are also popular additions for seafood remoulades. Thin your mayonnaise with lemon juice to get the desired consistency.
Is there a way to make remoulade sauce with a homemade mayonnaise? I find that the mayonnaise you buy in stores is a little too salty for making this type of sauce. Can someone tell me how to make this type of sauce with eggs and oil instead? I am looking for a thinner sauce for crab cakes, something that will coat the cakes, but not glob on them.
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