Rémoulade sauce is a creole recipe coming from French origins. In 17th century France, the name derived from remolas. This was from the Northern dialect of Picardy meaning horseradish. Picardy, part of Hauts-de-France, is a historical region of northern France. It stretches north from the suburbs of Paris and vineyards of Champagne to the beaches of the Bay of Somme on the English Channel.
Origins of Sauce
Sauce comes from 14th century France. In old French sauce or sausse derives from the Latin salsa. This meant “salted” or “salt food”. A salted condiment was needed before refrigeration to cover up the taste of spoiling meat, poultry and fish. Since Rémoulade has a spicy component to it, it could kill some of the bacteria in foods for safer consumption.
Present Day
Today Rémoulade is now popular in Finland, Sweden, Iceland, Norway, Germany, Poland, Netherlands, Denmark, and the US. Denmark puts it on open faced roast beef sandwiches called smǿrrebrǿd. The US claims it as a staple of Louisiana Creole cuisine. Often it is served with seafood or cold meat. Originally it was poured over hard-boiled eggs because they were cheaper. Now it is used with shrimp, crabs, crawfish, fried calamari, fried fish, artichokes and green fried tomatoes.
Beginnings
Since the early 1900s Rémoulade has become a staple. A wine salesman, Arnaud, opened a large restaurant on Bienville St. in the French Quarter in 1918. He introduced the sauce there. Mississippi’s comeback sauce and Alabama’s white barbecue sauce are both cousins of the French-inspired recipe. Therefore, one can see that every chef has his or her own twist to the recipe.
New Orleans
There is an orange-red Rémoulade sauce that is unique to New Orleans. In addition, they also have a white version based on mayonnaise which is closer to the classic French recipe. Both have Creole mustard, a rough, brown, country-style condiment containing horseradish. In fact, an old French dialect refers to a radish that hasn’t been part of the recipe for centuries.
The French version has mayonnaise, vinegar, mustard, sometimes curry, shallots, pickles, capers, and herbs. Herbs include things like chives, chervil and tarragon. It is common in the salad céleri rémoulade with grated celerias. Louisiana’s version includes paprika or ketchup and hot sauce. It is more piquant. It is favorable to have both varieties to see which you and guests like better. Hot dogs, French fries, and roast beef can also enhance a dinner’s delight of this sauce.
Remoulade Red Sauce
½ cup chili sauce or ketchup
½ cup Creole mustard (can be ordered online)
1 Tbls. paprika
½ tsp. salt
2 Tbls. lemon juice
1 tsp. cider vinegar
1 tsp. cayenne pepper
¼ tsp. Tabasco
1 Tbls. minced garlic
1 cup olive oil
3 green onions, finely chopped
Directions
Mix all ingredients together except olive oil and green onions.
Slowly add oil and stir in continuously until oil is all absorbed.
Fold in green onions.
Remoulade White Sauce
1 cup mayonnaise
½ cup Creole mustard
2 Tbls. lemon juice
½ cup capers, finely chopped
½ tsp. Tabasco Garlic Pepper Sauce (can be ordered online)
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
½ tsp. salt
3 green onions, finely chopped
Directions
Combine all ingredients together in bowl and stir thoroughly.
Serve both sauces with shrimp or other seafood.
Sources:
https://www.196flavors.com/united-states-remoulade-sauce/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remoulade
Fitzmorris, Tom, New Orleans Food, Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2006, pp. 13-14
Brennan, Ella & Dick, The Commander’s Palace New Orleans Cookbook, Commander’s Palace, Inc. 1984, pp. 17, 62-63