Espagnole sauce

Method

1. 1

   Step 1

   Dice the onion (opens in a new tab), carrot (opens in a new tab) and celery (opens in a new tab) into even 1 cm pieces. Tie the bay leaves (opens in a new tab), thyme (opens in a new tab) and parsley (opens in a new tab) stalks into a bouquet garni with kitchen string. Bring the stock to a simmer and keep it hot.

   • 8 min
   • medium heat
   • Chef's knife (opens in a new tab)
   • Chopping board (opens in a new tab)
   • Stockpot / large pot (opens in a new tab)

   

2. 2

   Step 2

   Melt 30 g of the butter in a wide, heavy pan over medium heat. Add the mirepoix and cook, stirring now and then, for 10–12 minutes until deeply golden brown at the edges.

   • 12 min
   • medium heat
   • Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
   • Wooden spoon (opens in a new tab)
3. 3

   Step 3

   Add the tomato paste (opens in a new tab) and stir it through the vegetables for 2–3 minutes until it darkens from bright red to brick-rust and smells sweet (pinçage). Do not let it scorch.

   • 3 min
   • medium heat
   • Wooden spoon (opens in a new tab)
4. 4

   Step 4

   In a large heavy saucepan (opens in a new tab) melt the remaining 70 g butter over medium-low heat, add the flour and stir constantly for 12–15 minutes to make a brown roux: it passes through blond and golden to the colour of milk chocolate or hazelnut skins and smells nutty and toasty. Lower the heat if it colours faster than that; burnt specks mean starting again.

   • 15 min
   • medium-low heat
   • Saucepan (opens in a new tab)
   • Wooden spoon (opens in a new tab)

   A brown roux has roughly two-thirds of a blond roux's thickening power, which is why espagnole needs more of it.

   

5. 5

   Step 5

   Off the heat, let the roux cool for 2 minutes, then whisk (opens in a new tab) in about 400 ml of the hot stock until smooth and thick. Whisk in the rest of the stock in additions, then add the browned mirepoix with its tomato, the bouquet garni and the crushed peppercorns (opens in a new tab).

   • 5 min
   • Whisk (opens in a new tab)
   • Ladle (opens in a new tab)

   Food safety: Lumps form when a hot roux meets hot liquid all at once. Add warm (not boiling) liquid gradually, whisking each addition smooth, or let the roux cool a little first.

   

6. 6

   Step 6

   Bring to the boil, then reduce to a bare simmer — just a few lazy bubbles — and cook uncovered for 1½ hours, skimming the fat and scum from the surface every 15 minutes and scraping the bottom so nothing catches. It reduces from about 2.3 litres to about 1.5 litres.

   • 90 min
   • low heat
   • Ladle (opens in a new tab)
   • Wooden spoon (opens in a new tab)
7. 7

   Step 7

   Test the consistency: it should be nappe, glossy and dark mahogany, coating the back of a spoon so a finger-line holds. Simmer longer if thin; loosen with hot stock if thick. Strain through a fine sieve, pressing the vegetables lightly; do not force them through.

   • 5 min
   • Sieve / strainer (opens in a new tab)
   • Wooden spoon (opens in a new tab)
8. 8

   Step 8

   Taste and season with salt only if needed. Use at once, or cool quickly and refrigerate; most espagnole goes on to become demi-glace.

   • 2 min