The Saracen-style light mustard sauce is basically a simple recipe with few ingredients, but it requires some experience and knowledge if you want to make it successfully.
In addition to first-class ingredients, the constant and conscientious stirring as well as a very reduced heat supply, for example by using a water bath, guarantee a successful, creamy sauce, which gets its special pep from the addition of good mustard.
The Saracen-style light mustard sauce originally comes from Umbrian Perugia and probably goes back to the Templars, who brought it with them from the Orient to their commandery in Perugia. It is particularly suitable as an accompaniment to fish or white meat, but a certain amount of sensitivity is required for its production.
Ingredients
– 250 ml whipped cream
– 14 egg yolks
– 7 tsp cornmeal for thickening
– 2 tbsp fine mustard, hot or medium-hot
– Nutmeg
– thyme
– tarragon
– Salt, preferably as fleur de sel
– white, freshly ground pepper
– Veal stock or chicken broth as required
Preparation
First, separate the yolks from the whites, which can be used for another recipe. In the second step, the egg yolks are whipped until fluffy. Next, in a separate bowl, the very fine cornmeal is beaten in a little cold water until a creamy emulsion is formed. To avoid lumps forming, the cornmeal should be added to the water gradually and with constant stirring!
When the mixture is completely smooth, place the bowl in the water bath and heat it. Once this is done, add the egg yolks and stir thoroughly again. With further stirring, the fresh whipped cream is added, seasoned with freshly grated nutmeg, and then the mustard is added. Similar to the hollandaise sauce, the key to success lies in stirring: the sauce must not burn! If you have enough finesse, you can also omit the water bath, but then it must be heated on a very low heat and stirred even more intensively.
As the sauce slowly simmers and begins to thicken, add just enough veal stock or chicken stock to get the sauce the right consistency—it’s important not to get too thick. Finally, it is seasoned with thyme and a little tarragon, seasoned with pepper and salt, and the sauce is served immediately in a hot gravy boat. It should also be eaten quickly as it can become thick and sticky as it cools.
