Green Ravigotte Sauce is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic sauce of blanched herbs pounded to a paste, mixed with butter and whisked into a fresh bechamel base. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Green Ravigotte Sauce.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Green Ravigotte Sauce that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli' 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
No. 57.—GREEN RAVIGOTTE SAUCE.
Procure green tarragon, chervil, chives, and parsley, in equal quantities; parboil these in water with a little salt until tender; then drain off all the water, squeeze them in a cloth, and pound them in a mortar with two ounces of fresh butter; and having rubbed this through a hair sieve, proceed to incorporate it into some well-made Bechamel sauce, No. 16, or some melted butter: just before using this sauce, add a very little tarragon vinegar and anchovy.
Bring a pan of lightly-salted water to a boil, add the herbs and cook for about 4 minutes, or until wilted.
Drain the herbs, chop very finely then squeeze the excess liquid out through a cloth. Add to a mortar and pound to a paste then pound in the 60g butter. Pass the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve then include the resultant purée into the freshly-made béchamel sauce.
Just before serving add the tarragon vinegar and anchovy essence. Serve hot.
