Ravigote Sauce with Crab Cakes

A sauce to yelp about . . .

A finishing sauce can make or break the best prepared meal. Poorly seasoned or improperly executed, a sauce will destroy your best intention in a flash not to mention ruin your budgeted dollars and reputation. There are so many types of sauces. The one today is influenced from our French forefathers who knew a thing or two about a good sauce. There are basically two Ravigote sauces; a velouté type riding in white wine and vinegar, butter, cream, with mushrooms cooked in the liquor, usually served hot and the other is the one I am featuring today.

This ravigote is a classic sauce that is great to use when there is no liquid or stock from the cooked meats and normally is reserved for fish, shellfish and white meat.  Served slightly warm or cold, this lightly acidic and highly flavored sauce blends herbs and finely minced vegetables into a creamy dressing.

These photos are from Mr. B's Bistro in New Orleans where this boasting Ravigote sauce played right alongside to their amazing jumbo lump crab cakes. The crab cake recipe will follow later in the week, but first ya gotta make the sauce. One bite into the crab cake, with a hint of this sauce and you will know what I mean about a sauce worth letting out a little yelp.


Ravigote (ra-vee-gawt) Fr. 1820's derivative of ravigoter, to refresh, vigor, vigorous

Mr. B's Bistro (NOLO) on Royal near Canal, fine dining famous for Creole cuisine and known for fresh, local and regional fare, be sure to order their famous barbecued shrimp - clubby, relaxed and casual - the wait staff and chefs are very eager to address the cuisine and at times, will hand out a recipe or two...

Ravigote Sauce
Serve with all sorts of seafood - shrimp and crab, crawfish, fried oysters, crab cakes and white meats too.
Makes 1 1/2 cups

2 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1 1/4 cups mayonnaise
1/2 red bell pepper, diced fine
1/2 large Anaheim chile pepper or green bell pepper, diced fine
1 hard-boiled egg, pulverized
1 tablespoon finely chopped flat leaf parsley
2 3/4 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
3/4 teaspoon dried tarragon
3/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (Tabasco)
kosher salt and white pepper to taste
1 teaspoon tiny capers

In a medium bowl whisk together lemon juice and dry mustard. Whisk in mayonnaise, bell pepper, chile, egg, parsley, horseradish, mustard, tarragon, hot sauce, salt and pepper. Lastly, fold in the capers.

NOTE: The first time I made this sauce, I cheated and used a small blender to chop the vegetables. DO NOT do this as it will pulverize the peppers too much.  Finely dice the vegetables by hand and as told, the eggs are actually pounded with a mallet.

The most amazing foods come from the kitchen of Mr. B's Bistro, NOLA