Recipe Manuscript

Sauce Hubert

Name: Sauce Hubert
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 2
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 60g shallots, finely chopped; 60ml red wine vinegar; 1 fresh chicken liver (about 40g), grilled; 30-45ml hot roast pan juices (from poultry or meat); Salt and pepper to taste

1903

From the treasured pages of Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages

Written by Célestine Eustis

Early Modern Kitchen (1900 - 1930)American Intermediate Dinner Lunch Other

Original Recipe • 1903

Original Manuscript(circa Early Modern Kitchen, 1900 - 1930)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Sauce Hubert

"Après cuisson d'échalottes dans du vinaigre passez-les dans un tamis, dans le même tamis passez, foie de poulet qui aura cuit sur le gril, broyez peu à peu avec un peu d'échalotte passée; au moment de servir terminez le mélange, ajoutez le jus du rôti."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe, like many from its era, is written as a compact instructional paragraph, expecting the cook to have a certain experience and kitchen intuition. Measurements are implied, not explicit, and the sequence expects familiarity with techniques like sieving and blending. Terms like 'passez dans un tamis' indicate the classical French culinary vocabulary, where passing ingredients through a sieve was commonplace for achieving refined textures. The use of organ meats and reserved pan juices also reflects the era’s value for resourcefulness in cooking.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cooking in old Créole days. La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages (1903)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Célestine Eustis

Era

1903

Publisher

R.H. Russell

Background

Take a delicious journey back in time with this charming bilingual collection of Creole and American recipes, crafted for cozy households. Célestine Eustis blends French flair with Southern soul, guiding both the novice and seasoned gourmand through the distinct flavors and delightful traditions of old Creole kitchens.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This sauce is a gem from Creole kitchens in Louisiana at the turn of the twentieth century, captured in Célestine Eustis’s 1903 work 'La cuisine créole à l'usage des petits ménages.' Creole cuisine, rich in French and Southern influences, often used simple, economical ingredients elegantly prepared. The recipe showcases the classical French approach of enriching sauces with organ meats and aromatics, set against the lively backdrop of New Orleans’ culinary melting pot. A sauce like this would have elevated humble poultry or meat with the deep savor of livers and the brightness of vinegar and shallots—quintessential Creole thrift paired with grand French technique.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the early 1900s, the sauce would have been made in a simple sauté pan set over a wood or coal stove. Shallots were softened slowly over gentle heat, the liver cooked directly on a metal grill or over open flame, and everything combined and mashed using a mortar and pestle or by pressing through a fine tamis (drum sieve). A sturdy kitchen knife and a spoon completed the toolkit.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

2 oz shallots, finely chopped
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1 fresh chicken liver (about 1 1/2 oz), grilled
2-3 tbsp hot roast pan juices (from poultry or meat)
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

Begin by finely chopping 2-3 shallots (about 2 oz) and simmering them gently in 1/4 cup of red wine vinegar until softened and most of the liquid has evaporated.
Grill one fresh chicken liver (about 1 1/2 oz) until fully cooked and lightly charred on the outside.
Pass the cooked shallots and liver through a fine sieve or puree them together in a small food processor until smooth.
Just before serving, finish mixing the liver and shallot purée together, adjusting seasoning to taste.
Add 2-3 tablespoons (2-3 tbsp) of hot roast chicken or meat pan juices to achieve a saucy, supple consistency, and serve immediately as an accompaniment to roast meats or poultry.

Estimated Calories

70 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and chopping the shallots takes a few minutes and grilling the chicken liver does not take long. Simmering the shallots in vinegar softens them and reduces the liquid, while pureeing blends everything together. The recipe makes enough sauce for about 2 servings. Each serving contains roughly 70 calories.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.