French cuisine is the foundation of culinary art: culinary schools base their curriculum on it, cookbooks honor it, restaurants build their menus around it. The five “mother sauces” originated in French cooking (béchamel, velouté, espagnole, tomat, and hollandaise) and a French chef, Escoffier, codified the set-up of the modern restaurant kitchen with its five stations for different stages of food preparation.
As daunting as French cuisine can seem, it is not all haute cuisine, and the Vitamix blender can help you produce some delicious French classics, like Crêpes, Quiche with Brown Rice Crust, and French Bread.
Julia Child noted in Mastering the Art of French Cooking that “Sauces are the splendor and the glory of French cooking,” and no blender anywhere gives you a creamier sauce or a more velvety purée than a Vitamix machine. Try the recipes below to see what we mean.
Breakfast
Cheese-Filled Crêpes with Blueberry Coulis
Everyone in the family will love these cheese-filled crêpes for breakfast or dessert. Serve with blueberry coulis and whipped cream for a sweet delight.
Meat
White Bean Purée
Serve this sumptuous, velvety purée with hearty main dishes, or spread over pizza with fresh tomato slices.
Pasta
Chipotle Pepper Cream Sauce
For a little spice, this tofu cheese sauce includes chipotle pepper, and is delicious tossed over pasta or steamed veggies.
Seafood
Aioli
Aioli is a garlic mayonnaise that can elevate from a simple sandwich spread to a delicious complement for a variety of seafood dishes, from cod to mussels.
Dessert
Vanilla Custard Sauce
This basic dessert sauce is perfect on fruit, topping cake, or included in your favorite trifle recipe.
Strawberry Purée
This strawberry purée can be used as a sauce or topping for a multitude of desserts.