What could this ingredient have been?!
It was:
A large pan filled with corn kernels, baby carrots, chopped onion, and snow peas. He added to this mixture salt, pepper, heavy cream (out of a carton), and the last ingredient I couldn't hear the name of.
The ingredient was a mushy texture--it looked like a dark brown/golden, thick applesauce. He said the name of it, and it sounded like "root," but I have no idea what it was.
What was this ingredient?
Answers:
It sounds like it was probably a Roux; flour and butter (or oil) blended together over heat until it's golden to brown. (made with oil it it can be made in batches and kept in the fridge for a couple weeks, with butter it'll go rancid in a couple days)
It's used to thicken a mixture and also adds a faint nutty flavor.
If it sounded like "root" was in the list, then I would imagine taro root was what the server was trying to tell you. You can find it in the produce section.
Making Roux
French for "red," a roux is a thickener for sauces and soups that combines equal parts flour and butter. For more info and recipes use the URL below
http://allrecipes.com//HowTo/making-roux…
He may have said "roux", a browned mixture of fat and flour used as a thickener and to produce a bit of sauce.