Gribiche is the cold sauce that proves the saucier's range extends beyond the stovetop. Built on sieved hard-boiled egg yolk emulsified with oil and vinegar, it occupies the space between vinaigrette and mayonnaise — richer than the first, more textured than the second. The yolks are pushed through a fine drum sieve (tamis) while still warm for the smoothest base, then worked with Dijon mustard and white wine vinegar before oil is streamed in exactly as for mayonnaise. The emulsion holds because cooked yolk lecithin, though less efficient than raw, still binds oil when the yolk is fine enough. The garnish defines the sauce: julienned cornichons, nonpareil capers, chervil, tarragon, parsley, and the cooked whites cut into fine julienne — a detail that separates careful work from sloppy. The finished sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon but loose enough to spoon over proteins. It is the canonical accompaniment to calf's head and poached beef, but also excellent with cold asparagus, artichoke hearts, and poached fish. Gribiche does not keep well — the cooked-yolk emulsion weakens after 6 hours and the herbs darken. Make it the morning of service, hold at 14-16°C, and discard the remainder. The sauce should taste sharply acidic, richly eggy, and punctuated by the salt-brine burst of capers.
Sieve warm hard-boiled yolks through tamis for smooth base. Emulsify with oil as for mayonnaise — cooked lecithin binds if particles are fine. Julienne the whites — this is the defining garnish technique. Make day-of service only — emulsion weakens after 6 hours.
Pass yolks through the tamis while still warm from cooking — they press through more easily and create a finer paste. If the emulsion feels too thick, thin with a few drops of the cornichon brine rather than vinegar — it adds complexity. The julienne of egg white should be 3mm wide and 3cm long — this is a knife skills test as much as a sauce.
Chopping the egg whites coarsely instead of cutting precise julienne. Using cold yolks which crumble instead of passing smoothly through the tamis. Over-oiling the base — gribiche should be thinner than mayonnaise. Storing overnight — the cooked-yolk emulsion breaks and herbs oxidise.
Escoffier, Le Guide Culinaire; Larousse Gastronomique