[Sca-cooks] Cream sauces

[Susan Fox]

Kerri Martinsen wrote:

>I am having a quandry or crisis of faith:
>
>I am serving Butternut Squash ravioli for a feast on the 28th.  
>
>The dish: Raviolis de Courge - Is a traditional french mountain-village dish is squash ravioli with walnut sauce. 
>(Castrum de Guillermo.  Guillaumes was founded in the 10th century by Guillaume II, Count of Provence.  Remains of Neolithic habitation were discovered in a grotto in the Vallon de Cantet, 3 km southwest. There are other various signs of Gallo-Roman and barbarian occupation. First written record, 13th century.)
>
>I have planned on 2 sauces:
>(1) Brown butter sauce w/ Sage 
>5 TBSP butter
>2 TBSP fresh Sage
>3/4 C Vege Stock (I used the "drippings" from the squash)
>(garnish with parm. cheese)
>
>some recipes call for garlic.  Some add cream.
>
>When I made it the first time I didn't care for how "dence" the butter sauce made the dish.  but my neighbor loved it, so it may just be me.
>

They just served a sauce just like this with gnocchi at Caid 12th Night. 
 DAMN that was good!  Get the sage a bit toasty, it adds some amazing 
nuance to the dish.  I almost had to throw myself on the whole batch to 
protect the populace from the cholesterol attack, of course.  <grin>

>
>
>Would I be better off tossing the ravioli with the butter as far as serving goes?  The feast will be served buffet (80 people)
>
Well, toss it with something, if only to keep it all from sticking together.

>
>
>
>(2) Sherried Onion Sauce
>2 Onions, sliced thin
>3 TBSP butter
>1/3 c dry sherry
>1.5 c heavy cream
>1.5 c vege stock (OR 3 cups and REMOVE cream)
>2 TBSP fresh sage
>(garnish with parm cheese, walnuts & dried cranberries)
>
>This has been informally added due to left over onions and cream from a previous feast. I can pull this and not hurt anyone's feelings.
>
>And this is where I am having "issues".  Would it be a good idea to have the sherried onions "on the side" as an option to be added to the ravioli already tossed with the butter sauce?  Should I use the cream or nix it?  The use of a milk based cream sauce just seems so.... 17th century...
>
If you're not comfortable, don't do it.  A nice sherried onion sallat 
might be just the right side dish.  And Cream seems to be an option for 
the sage butter sauce, see your own notes above.  Or save the cream to 
serve with fruit later on as a syllabub.  Or throw a Whipped Cream party 
for a few select friends after the banquet is over.  <evylle grynne>

Selene Colfox