flavored and/or thickened at the last minute
with purees, emulsions, or a starch-based
mixture. In the more versatile system
developed by French cooks, one begins by
making a water extract of meat and bones
ahead of time, and then uses that stock to cook
the final dish, or concentrates it to make
intensely flavored, full-bodied sauces. These
stocks and concentrates used to be the heart of
restaurant cooking. They’re less important
now, but still represent the state of the art in
meat sauces.
Collagen and gelatin. Collagen molecules
(left) contribute mechanical strength to
connective tissue and bone in animal muscles.
They are made up of three individual protein
chains wound closely together into a helix to