A mixture of equal parts fat (usually butter) and flour cooked together, used as a thickening agent for sauces, soups, and stews. Color varies from white to dark brown depending on cooking time.
From French 'roux' meaning 'reddish-brown,' derived from Latin 'russus.' The technique originated in French cuisine and became fundamental to sauce-making, later adopted extensively in Creole and Cajun cooking.
Roux works by coating flour proteins with fat, preventing them from clumping when liquid is added - it's essentially a controlled way to create smooth thickening! The longer you cook roux, the more complex its flavor becomes but the less thickening power it has due to starch breakdown.
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