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Remoulade
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Remoulade or rémoulade is a popular condiment in many countries, and was invented in France. Very much like the tartar sauce of some English-speaking cultures, remoulade is often mayonnaise-based. Although like tartar sauce, it is more yellowish, sometimes curry flavoured, and invariably contains chopped pickles or piccalilli, and can also contain horseradish, paprika, anchovies, capers and a host of other items. Its original purpose was possibly for serving with meats, possibly to cover the taste of food that had spoiled from failed early preservation techniques. Now it is often used as an accompaniment to seafood dishes especially pan-fried breaded fish fillets (primarily sole and plaice).
It is very popular in France, Denmark and in the United States, especially in Louisiana Creole cuisine. Among other uses, it is used on top of roast beef items and as a hot dog condiment, although there are a multitude of other applications for it from main dishes to desserts, and from country-to-country:
- In France it is commonly used in céléri rémoulade which consists of thinly cut pieces of celeriac with remoulade.
- In Denmark it is an essential ingredient on the Danish open-face roast beef sandwiches, along with roasted onion. It is also one of the most commonly-used sauces in which to dip french fries. The Danish version is also very popular in Sweden, but there mostly for breaded fillets of fish (e.g. cod or plaice) served with boiled potatoes, dill and perhaps creamed spinach.
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The Louisiana version of remoulade, like the local variants of roux and bordelaise sauce, is quite different from the French original. Invariably, it is red (bright red to ruddy-orange) and is usually very piquant. Louisiana-style remoulades fall generally into one of three categories--those with a mayonnaise base, those with a ketchup base, and those with an oil base. All three versions have an abundance of finely chopped vegetables, usually green onions and celery, and parsley; most are made with Creole mustard. Salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper are also standard ingredients. In the oil- and mayonnaise-based versions, the reddish hue comes from the addition of paprika. Other popular additions include lemon juice, minced garlic, vinegar, horseradish, and Worcestershire sauce.
While the classic white remoulade is a condiment that can be offered in a variety of contexts (e.g. the classic celery root remoulade), Louisiana remoulade is nearly always associated with shrimp. Today, shrimp remoulade is a ubiquitous cold appetizer in New Orleans' Creole restaurants, although, historically, hard boiled eggs with remoulade was a less expensive option on some menus. It is most often served as a stand-alone appetizer (usually on a chiffonade of iceberg lettuce), but it can be paired with other items such as fried green tomatoes or mirliton. Rarely, one might also see crawfish remoulade, but remoulade sauce is never offered in restaurants as an accompaniment with fish (cocktail sauce and tartar sauce are generally the condiments of choice). In private homes, it may occasionally have a wider application suggestive of its French roots. Food columnist and cookbook author Leon Soniat, for example, suggests to "Serve [remoulade] over seafood or with sliced meats."[1]
- ^ Soniat, Leon E. La Bouche Creole, p.61. Pelican Publishing, 1983.
- http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=remoulade
- http://deepsouth.tulane.edu/culinary/web/learning_lore.asp?id=remoulade.txt