Rich Brown Sauce (Sauce Espagnole)

By HeatherS

Espagnole is ideal for serving with red meat and game. It also makes a delicious full-flavoured base for other sauces, so make double quantity and keep some in the fridge.

Ingredients

• 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp butter
• 50 g/2 oz bacon pieces or streaky bacon, chopped
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery stick, chopped
• mushroom trimmings (if available save the stems next time you make saute mushrooms , be sure to make sauce before they turn)
• 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp plain flour
• 600 ml/1 pint/2 1/2 cups hot beef stock
• 1 bouquet garni It traditionally comprises of parsley (or parsley stalks, which have lots of flavour), a few sprigs of thyme and a bay leaf.
• 30 ml/2 tbsp tomato puree
• 15 ml/1 tbsp sherry (optional)
• salt and pepper

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Melt the butter in a heavy-based saucepan and fry the bacon for 2-3 minutes. Add the vegetables and cook for a further 5-6 minutes until golden.

Stir in the flour and cook over a medium heat for 5-10 minutes until it has become a rich brown colour.

Remove from the heat s gradually blend in the stock.

Slowly bring to the boil continuing to stir until the sauce thickens. Add the bouquet garni, tomato puree and seasoning. Reduce the heat and simmer gently for one hour stirring occasionally.

Strain the sauce, pressing the vegetables to extract the juice.

Skim off any fat with a metal spoon. Stir in the sherry and adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve with grilled lamb or other red meat.