Real Sauce a la King

This is the real deal, not the canned stuff. A proper sauce a la King built in a double boiler with a butter-flour roux, milk and light cream, enriched at the end with beaten egg yolks and dry sherry. The result is a silky, velvety sauce with chunks of mushroom, green pepper, and bright red pimientos throughout.

The double boiler is key to this recipe’s texture. Gentle, indirect heat prevents the cream sauce from scorching or breaking, which is a constant risk with milk-based sauces on direct flame. After the sauce thickens (about 10 minutes of stirring), you let it cook undisturbed for another 10 minutes so the flour loses any raw taste and the flavors meld.

The egg yolk and sherry mixture goes in last, off the heat. The residual warmth cooks the yolks just enough to thicken the sauce further and add richness without scrambling. Stir it in gradually. Dumping it all at once risks curdling.

Spoon this over toast points, puff pastry shells, rice, or biscuits with diced cooked chicken or turkey folded in.

Chef Tips

• Temper the egg yolks by whisking a spoonful of hot sauce into the yolk-sherry mixture first. This warms them gradually and prevents scrambled bits in your sauce.
• Use fresh mushrooms, not canned. Fresh mushrooms keep their texture and release their own savory liquid into the sauce.
• The pimientos are there for color as much as flavor. They give the classic red-and-green speckled look that defines this dish.

Variations

• Chicken a la King: Fold in diced cooked chicken breast and serve over toasted bread or in vol-au-vent shells for the classic presentation.
• Turkey a la King: Use leftover Thanksgiving turkey for a post-holiday meal that transforms leftovers into something elegant.
• Dairy-free attempt: Substitute oat milk and vegan butter, but skip the egg yolks and thicken with extra cornstarch instead.