A delicate, creamy seafood sauce enriched with white wine, velouté, and egg yolk, traditionally served with poached sole, turbot, and other delicate fish. Rooted in the coastal cuisine of Normandy, it’s an elegant example of French refinement applied to the fruits of the sea.
FR / EN
Sauce Normande / Normandy-Style Cream Sauce
Regional Style
Normandy / Coastal Haute Cuisine
Servings
Serves Four
Ingredients
- 250 ml fish velouté (see note below)
- 100 ml dry white wine
- 50 ml mushroom cooking liquor (or poaching broth from fish)
- 100 ml heavy cream
- 1 egg yolk
- 30 g butter
- Juice of half a lemon (optional)
- Salt and white pepper, to taste
To prepare fish velouté:
Use a blond roux (butter and flour) and gradually add strained fish stock until it is lightly thickened.
One tablespoon is approximately 15 ml, and a teaspoon is approximately 5 ml.
Preparation Method
Prepare the Velouté Base
Start with a light fish velouté made from butter, flour, and white fish stock. Heat gently in a saucepan until smooth and slightly thickened.
Add Wine and Mushroom Essence
Stir in the white wine and mushroom liquor (or strained fish poaching liquid). Let the mixture simmer gently for about 10 minutes to develop depth of flavor. Skim as needed and avoid boiling vigorously.
Finish with Cream and Liaison
In a small bowl, beat the egg yolk with the heavy cream. Remove the sauce from the heat and slowly incorporate the liaison mixture, stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Return the pan to very low heat and stir until the sauce thickens slightly—do not let it boil, as this may cause the yolk to curdle.
Final Touches
Season with salt and a pinch of white pepper. Stir in the butter for added gloss and, if desired, a few drops of lemon juice to brighten the sauce. Strain through a fine sieve for elegance, if serving in a formal presentation.
Serving Suggestions & Garnishes
This sauce is traditionally served with poached sole, turbot, or trout. It may also accompany quenelles of fish or seafood, scallops, or even delicate vegetable timbales. A touch of chopped parsley or a thin ring of truffle was sometimes added in haute cuisine service.
Tips, Tricks, or Variations
If mushroom cooking liquor is unavailable, infuse the sauce with a few slices of fresh mushrooms while simmering. For added richness, consider increasing the butter or finish with a touch of crème fraîche. The sauce may also be enriched with a spoonful of fish fumet for added marine intensity.
Historical & Cultural Context
Named for the Normandy region, renowned for its coastal abundance and dairy tradition, Sauce Normande embodies the French genius for balancing land and sea. It appears in both household manuals and grand culinary treatises, representing the elegant evolution of classical fish sauces in the 19th century. Its use of velouté, cream, and yolk demonstrates the precise technique that underpins la cuisine classique.
