Espagnole Sauce

Espagnole is a classic brown sauce, typically made from brown stock, mirepoix, and tomatoes, and thickened with a brown roux.

Yield: Makes about 2 2/3 cups          Active time: 35 min          Total time: 8 hr (includes making stock)

Ingredients
1/2 stick (1/4 cup) unsalted butter
1 small carrot, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
1 celery rib, coarsely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups brown veal stock or veal demi-glace
1/4 cup canned tomato purée
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 to 3 bay leaves
½ tsp dry thyme
Parsley

Preparation

Cook carrot and onion in butter in a 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until golden, 7 to 8 minutes. Add flour and cook roux over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until medium brown, 6 to 10 minutes. Add hot stock in a fast stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps, then add tomato purée, garlic, celery, peppercorns, and bay leaf and bring to a boil, stirring. Reduce heat and cook at a bare simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, until reduced to about 3 cups, about 45 minutes.

Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids. Available at some specialty foods shops. (stock requires a dilution ratio of 1:16; 1/4 cup concentrate to 4 cups water).

Note: Sauce can be made 1 day ahead and cooled completely, uncovered, then chilled, covered.