⏰ Service 6 — A Classic French Bistro Dinner (3 Courses)
← Block 5–6: The 5 Mother Sauces Overview
Skill: The capstone for two weeks of mother sauces. You'll make a béarnaise (hollandaise's most famous daughter sauce), a Mornay gratin (béchamel from Block 5, from memory), and a vinaigrette without looking at a recipe. Three sauces from two mother-sauce families, all on the table at the same time.
| Course | Dish | Sauce | Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Salad | Lyonnaise Salad (Frisée aux Lardons) | Vinaigrette (from memory) | Recipe |
| Main | Pan-Seared Steak with Béarnaise | Béarnaise (hollandaise daughter) | Steak · Béarnaise |
| Side | Cauliflower Gratin with Mornay | Mornay / Béchamel (Block 5 recall) | Recipe |
| Component | Recipe |
|---|---|
| Protein | Pan-seared steak (ribeye or NY strip) |
| Sauce | Béarnaise — tarragon-shallot reduction + hollandaise emulsion |
| Side | Cauliflower gratin — béchamel enriched with Gruyère (Mornay), baked until golden |
| Salad | Frisée aux lardons with warm Dijon vinaigrette |
Skill targets: Béarnaise that holds. Béchamel/Mornay from memory. Vinaigrette without a recipe. Everything plated together.
🎥 Compare Notes: Grandma's Favorite Steak — Jacques Pépin Cooking At Home (KQED) — Watch how casually Pépin handles the steak and the sauce. That confidence with heat and timing is what two weeks of sauce work has been building toward.