Veloute (used for "Lobster enchiladas w/white wine sauce")

This sauce, used to prepare numerous white sauces, has a name that translates from French as "velvety, soft, and smooth to the palette". A truly excellent veloute should meet several criteria. The flavor of a veloute should reflect the stock used in its preparation: white veal, which will be nearly neutral in flavor: chicken: or fish. It is thickened with an appropriate amount of roux.

• Ready In: 2 hrs 15 mins
• Yields: 1 gallon

Ingredients

• Basic Roux

• 1  lb  clarified butter or 1  lb  oil
• 1  lb flour

• White Mirepoix

• 4  ounces onions, chopped
• 4  ounces leeks, chopped
• 4  ounces celery, chopped
• 4  ounces parsnips, chopped
• 2 -3  ounces  sliced mushrooms (optional)

• Sachet d Espices

• 3 -4  parsley stems
• 1⁄2 teaspoon thyme leaves
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄2 teaspoon peppercorn, cracked
• 1  clove garlic, crushed (optional)

• Veloute

• 11  lbs shrimp or 11  lbs  crab or 11  lbs  lobster shells
• 5  quarts  cold water
• 1  lb  white mirepoix
• 1  sachet d'espices
• 10  ounces  sliced mushrooms (optional)
•  salt (optional)

Directions

1. ---------BasicRoux-----------.
2. Heat the clarified butter or oil in a pan over moderate heat.
3. Add the flour all at once.
4. Stirring constantly, cook over low heat until the roux is very pale ivory, about 8 minutes.
5. ---------WhiteMirepoix--------.
6. Cut the vegetables into an appropriate size, based on the cooking time of the dish.
7. Add mirepoix to the recipe as directed.
8. -----------Sachetd'Espices----------.
9. Place all ingredients on a piece of cheesecloth approximately 4 inches square.
10. Gather up the edges and tie with butcher's twine, leaving a long tail of string to tie to the stockpot handle.
11. A standard sachet d'epices, French for"bag of spices," as with the bouquet garni, should be removed and discarded after enough flavor has been released into the stock or other preparation.
12. ----------Veloute-----------.
13. Thicken your stock with just enough roux for the proper texture.