Espagnole Sauce

Espagnole sauce, also known as brown sauce, is a rich and flavorful sauce that serves as the base for many classic French dishes, including beef stews and meat-based pasta dishes. Here's a recipe for making a traditional Espagnole sauce:

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup finely diced onion
• 1/4 cup finely diced carrot
• 1/4 cup finely diced celery
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups beef or veal stock (preferably homemade)
• 1/2 cup tomato puree (canned or homemade)
• 1 bay leaf
• 2-3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 1-2 fresh parsley sprigs
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Prepare Your Ingredients: Start by preparing all your ingredients. Finely dice the onion, carrot, and celery, and have your stock, tomato puree, and herbs ready.
2. Sauté the Vegetables In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrot, and celery and sauté until they become soft and start to develop some color, about 5-7 minutes.
3. Add Flour and Create the Roux: Sprinkle the flour over the sautéed vegetables and stir to create a roux. Continue to cook and stir the roux for about 2-3 minutes until it turns a rich brown color. This step is crucial for the sauce's flavor.
4. Add Stock: Gradually pour in the beef or veal stock while whisking continuously. Make sure to fully incorporate the stock into the roux, and continue whisking to avoid lumps.
5. Incorporate Tomato Puree: Add the tomato puree to the sauce and whisk it in, ensuring that it's evenly combined.
6. Add Herbs: Tie the bay leaf, thyme, and parsley together with kitchen twine to create a bouquet garni, and add it to the sauce. This will infuse the sauce with herbal flavors. Alternatively, you can place the herbs in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it off.
7. Simmer and Reduce: Bring the sauce to a gentle simmer, then reduce the heat to low. Let it simmer gently for about 30-45 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened and reduced to your desired consistency. Remember to stir occasionally.
8. Season and Strain: Once the sauce has reached the desired consistency, remove the bouquet garni and season the sauce with salt and pepper to taste. For a smoother sauce, you can strain it through a fine-mesh sieve or cheesecloth into another container.
9. Serve: Your rich and flavorful Espagnole sauce is now ready to be used as a base for classic dishes like Beef Bourguignon, as a component in gravies, or as an essential ingredient in the preparation of demi-glace.

Espagnole sauce is a deep and hearty sauce that can elevate your savory dishes to new heights. Enjoy the culinary adventure as you use it in various recipes!