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Sauce espagnole
Brown sauce
Sauce espagnole: classic French brown mother sauce of roasted stock, roux and tomato
FrenchSauce espagnole is the brown mother sauce of classic French cookery, the base of demi-glace and of the rich sauces served with steaks and roasts in grand restaurants since the 19th century. A dark roux of butter and flour is cooked with browned vegetables and tomato, then simmered for hours with brown beef or veal stock until deep, glossy and full of flavour. This version uses beef or veal stock and no wine. The common mistake is burning the roux; it should be the colour of milk chocolate, not black. Chef's tip: skim the sauce every 20 minutes as it simmers; the fat and impurities rise and it turns clear and shiny.
- Total time
- 230 min
- Difficulty
- hard
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp sunflower oil
- 1 oniondiced
- 1 carrotdiced
- 1 celery stickdiced
- 1 ⅜ oz plain flour
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 7 oz chopped tomatoes
- 8 ¼ cups brown beef or veal stockhot
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What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (5)
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy pan and cook the 1 onion, 1 carrot and 1 celery stick over a medium heat for 10 minutes, until browned.
10 minStep 2: Sprinkle in the 1 ⅜ oz plain flour and cook, stirring constantly, for 8–10 minutes until the roux turns the colour of milk chocolate and smells toasty.
10 minStep 3: Stir in the 2 tbsp tomato purée and 7 oz chopped tomatoes, then whisk in the hot 8 ¼ cups brown beef or veal stock a ladle at a time.
3 minStep 4: Add the 1 bouquet garni and 6 black peppercorns and simmer very gently, uncovered, for 2½–3 hours, skimming every 20 minutes, until reduced by half and the sauce coats a spoon.
180 minStep 5: Strain through a fine sieve, pressing on the vegetables. Use at once, or cool and keep in the fridge for 5 days or freeze in portions.
5 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 70 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 6 g
- Fat
- 4 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sauce espagnole take?
- About 230 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 210 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
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