Faux Demi-Glace

By TeeSquared

Can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, or pour into ice cube trays and freeze.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 teaspoons tomato paste
• 2 small onions, chopped medium (about 1 1/3 cups)
• 1 medium carrot, chopped medium (about 1/2 cup)
• 4 medium cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup water
• 4 teaspoons unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 cups dry red wine
• 3 1/2 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 3/4 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 teaspoons black peppercorns
• 8 sprigs fresh thyme
• 2 bay leaves

Details

Servings 1

Preparation

Step 1

1. Heat oil and tomato paste in Dutch oven over medium-high heat; cook, stirring constantly, until paste begins to brown, about 3 minutes. Add onions, carrot, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until mixture is reddish brown, about 2 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons water and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is well browned, about 3 minutes, adding remaining water when needed to prevent scorching. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Add wine and, using a heatproof rubber spatula, scrape up browned bits on bottom and sides of pot; bring to boil, stirring occasionally (mixture will thicken slightly). Add beef and chicken broths, peppercorns, thyme, and bay; bring to boil and cook, uncovered, occasionally scraping bottom and sides of pot with spatula, until reduced to 2 1/2 cups, 35 to 40 minutes.

2. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; you should have about 1 1/4 cups.

3. Add to recipe as needed, refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze in a plastic ice cube tray and store cubes in a zip lock plastic bag.

Variations: To make a very potent sauce for two people, melt two demi-glace cubes in a small skillet and finish by whisking in 1/2 tablespoon unsalted butter. For a less rich sauce that can serve four, melt two demi-glace cubes with 2 tablespoons water and then finish with 1/2 tablespoon butter. Either way, the sauce base already has highly concentrated flavors, so you will probably not need to season with salt and pepper.