This all-time French classic sauce will take you by surprise for two reasons: It has a taste that punches well above its weight, and it’s insanely easy to make.

This recipe technique appears in our first cook book, ‘French Cooking Academy: 100 Essential Recipes for the Home Cook’.

Also known as the sauce suprême, this chicken velouté sauce is enriched with cream, mushrooms and a touch of lemon zest for some zing. While it may sound modest on paper, this all-time French classic will take you by surprise for two reasons: It has a taste that punches well above its weight, and it’s insanely easy to make. Preparing this sauce is also a great opportunity to road test our White Chicken Stock to experience just how much flavor a homemade stock can bring to a sauce.

INGREDIENTS

Makes 1 cup (250 ml)

For the Sautéed Mushrooms

2 tbsp (30 g) unsalted butter

5 button mushrooms, sliced

Salt and freshly ground pepper to season

For the Velouté

1 oz (30 g) butter

1 oz (30 g) all-purpose flour

2 cups (500 ml) White Chicken Stock (homemade is best)

⅓ cup (80 ml) heavy cream

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Pinch of cayenne pepper

Pinch of freshly grated nutmeg

Extra dab of butter, to finish

Pinch of chopped fresh parsley, to finish

Method

1. In a medium-sized skillet, melt the butter over medium heat and sauté the mushrooms, with a pinch of salt and pepper, until golden. Set aside.

2. To make the velouté, in a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat, then stir in the flour and cook for 3 minutes to make a blond roux. Turn off the heat and allow to cool completely.

3. In a separate small saucepan, bring the stock to a boil. Off the heat, add half of the stock to the roux, whisking gently until you get a thick, lump-free sauce, then stir in the remaining stock. Now bring the velouté to a boil over medium heat, whisking from time to time, until it thickens.

4. Add the mushrooms and the cream and reduce the sauce for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the lemon juice, cayenne and nutmeg and taste. Adjust the seasoning to your liking before switching off the heat. For a final touch, stir in a dab of butter and a pinch of parsley before serving.