Espagnole Sauce

By vealam

Ingredients

• 1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups hot beef stock or reconstituted beef-veal demi-glace concentrate*
• 1/4 cup canned tomato purée
• 2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
• 1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
• 1 Turkish or 1/2 California bay leaf

Details

Servings 3
Preparation time 35mins
Cooking time 35mins
Adapted from epicurious.com

Preparation

Step 1

Cook carrot and onion in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook roux over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until medium brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Add hot stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then add tomato purée, garlic, celery, peppercorns, and bay leaf and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3 cups, about 45 minutes.

Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.

*Available at some specialty foods shops and cooking.com (stock requires a dilution ratio of 1:16; 1/4 cup concentrate to 4 cups water).

Cooks' note:
Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.