Target: 6 × 4 inches · landscape

Espagnole Sauce

145 min · 3 cups

Ingredients

□ 4 cups unsalted brown veal or beef stock

□ 1 tbsp neutral oil

□ 1/2 cup finely diced yellow onion

□ 1/4 cup finely diced carrot

□ 1/4 cup finely diced celery

□ 1 tbsp tomato paste

□ 4 tbsp unsalted butter

□ 4 tbsp all-purpose flour

□ 1 small bay leaf

□ 3 fresh thyme sprigs

□ 4 parsley stems

□ 6 whole black peppercorns

□ 1/2 tsp kosher salt, or to taste

1. Warm stock. Brown onion, carrot, and celery evenly; toast tomato paste to brick red and deglaze with 1/2 cup stock.

2. Cook butter and flour to a milk-chocolate brown roux. Whisk in remaining warm stock gradually, then add the vegetables and deglazing liquid.

3. Add bay, thyme, parsley stems, and peppercorns; simmer gently uncovered 75 minutes, skimming every 10 to 15 minutes.

4. Remove herbs, strain without pressing, and season. Use warm as a sauce base or cool and refrigerate.

Cook’s note: Build deep color slowly; a smoking roux or blackened mirepoix will make the sauce bitter.