A roux is a cooked mixture of flour and a cooking fat, like vegetable oil, that is used to thicken sauces and gravies.
Instructions
1. Pour about ? c. of the oil in a small sturdy pan and place it over medium-low heat.
2. When the oil is warm but not too hot, start stirring in flour with the wooden spoon until the mixture is thick - about the texture of wet concrete or plaster of Paris. Add more oil or flour until it's right.
3. Stir continually with the wooden spoon over the heat so the roux cooks. The flour will gradually begin to brown. The roux can be used when the flour is light golden in color. The darker you cook the roux, the more flavor it will add to the sauce. Don't cook it past a mahogany color, though.
4. Transfer the roux to another container to cool.
5. Store roux in the refrigerator for a week, or freeze it in tablespoon-size wafers.
6. To thicken a sauce with roux, let it cool so it won't splatter and whisk it in to your boiling sauce base, like broth or pan drippings.
7. Lower the heat to a simmer and continue to whisk until all the roux has been absorbed.
8. Simmer for at least 20 minutes to allow it the sauce to thicken and become smooth.
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