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 Aioli or mayonnaise-based. Although like tartar sauce, it is more yellowish, sometimes curry flavoured, and sometimes 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. Now it is often used as an accompaniment to seafood dishes especially pan-fried breaded fish fillets (primarily sole and plaice).

Use

It is very popular in France, Denmark and in the United States, especially in Louisiana Creole cuisine. Among other uses, it is used with french fries, on top of roast beef items and as a hot dog condiment, although there are a multitude of other applications:

• In France it is commonly used in céleri rémoulade which consists of thinly cut pieces of celeriac with a mustard-flavored remoulade.
• In Denmark it is an essential ingredient on the Danish open-face roast beef sandwiches (smørrebrød), along with roasted onion. Remoulade is also used for fish meatballs or breaded fillets of fish (e.g. cod or plaice) along with lemon slices. As a condiment for french fries the Danes can usually order tomato ketchup, remoulade or both, although in recent years mayonnaise has gained terrain. In some regions it is used on Danish hot dogs along with mustard, ketchup, roasted or raw onions and pickled cucumber slices. Marketed as "Danish remoulade", it has become popular in Sweden and Norway, but there mostly for fish with boiled potatoes, dill and perhaps creamed spinach. Many German and Swedish hot dog stands serve an optional "Danish hot dog" as described above.
• In Iceland, remoulade (remolaði) is a condiment commonly served on hot dogs, together with mustard, ketchup, raw and roasted onions.

Varieties

Sauce rémoulade

According to Larousse Gastronomique, rémoulade is 250 ml of mayonnaise with 2 tablespoons mixed herbs (parsley, chives, chervil and tarragon), 1 tablespoon drained capers, 2 finely diced cornichons and a few drops of anchovy essence (optional). Some recipes use chopped anchovy fillets. The rémoulade used in céleri rémoulade is a simple mustard-flavoured mayonnaise spiced with garlic and pepper. Rémoulade is classified in French cooking as a derivative of the mayonnaise sauce.

Danish remoulade

Danish remoulade has a mild, sweet-sour taste and a medium yellow color. The typical industrially-made variety does not contain capers, but finely-chopped cabbage and pickled cucumber, fair amounts of sugar and hints of mustard, cayenne, coriander and onion, and turmeric for color. The herbs are substituted by herbal essences, e.g. tarragon vinegar. Starch, gelatin or milk protein may be added as thickeners.

Homemade or gourmet varieties may use olive oil (especially good with fish), capers, pickles, cucumber, lemon juice, dill, chervil, parsley or other fresh herbs, and possibly curry.

Louisiana Remoulade

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 asparagus.

See also

• Cuisine of Denmark
• Cuisine of France

Notes

References

• http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=remoulade
• http://deepsouth.tulane.edu/culinary/web/learning_lore.asp?id=remoulade.txt - link is no longer valid
• http://www.lib.k-state.edu/depts/spec/rarebooks/cookery/viard1817.html - This page contains images of what may be the first recipe of remoulade in print from the 1817 edition of Le Cuisinier Royal.