Roux:
Equal amounts of butter and flour which are added to a liquid to thicken it. The roux is cooked to various colors (white, yellow or brown) depending on what it is being used for. A pale soup may only call for a white roux, while gumbos are famous for using a dark brown roux. You should always add a hot roux to a cool liquid, and vice versa; otherwise, lumps might form and the liquid won't thicken properly. << Return to Cooking Dictionary Cheat Sheet
