roux

Everyday

1. (cooking) A roux is a mixture of melted butter (or fat) and flour cooked together, used to thicken sauces, soups and gravy. tree →
2. Roux is also a French word meaning reddish-brown; it is a French surname too. tree →

In the lessons

In cooking lessons, a roux is the first step of white sauce for macaroni cheese or lasagne: melt butter, stir in flour, then slowly add milk. In Cajun and Creole cooking from Louisiana, a dark roux gives flavour to gumbo. The word is French.

Examples

• Melt the butter, add the flour, and stir to make a roux. tree →
• Slowly whisk milk into the roux for a smooth white sauce. tree →
• A roux thickens the gravy. tree →
• Cook the roux for a minute so it doesn't taste of flour. tree →
• Gumbo in Louisiana starts with a dark brown roux. tree →
• Our cheese sauce was lumpy because the roux was too hot. tree →
• Use the same amount of butter and flour for a roux. tree →

Note

Say "roo"; the x is silent (French). Plural is the same (roux) or sometimes rouxs. Safety: hot fat burns, so an adult should help at the cooker.