Espagnole

Espagnole is a rich brown sauce made from brown stock thickened with a brown roux, flavored with browned mirepoix and tomato. It is one of the French mother sauces. It is rarely served alone; instead it is used to make demi-glace and other brown sauces.

How to do it

For about 1 liter (4 cups):

1. Melt 60 g (4 tablespoons) of butter in a heavy pan. Add 120 g (1 cup) diced onion, carrot and celery, and cook until well browned.
2. Stir in 60 g (1/2 cup) of flour. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring, for 15 to 20 minutes until the roux is the color of peanut butter.
3. Slowly whisk in 1.5 liters (6 cups) of hot brown stock.
4. Add 2 tablespoons tomato paste or 2 chopped tomatoes, a bay leaf, thyme and a few peppercorns.
5. Simmer gently for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, skimming often, until reduced by about a third.
6. Strain through a fine sieve.

How to tell it is done

The sauce is deep brown, smooth and glossy, coats the back of a spoon, and tastes rich with no raw flour taste.

How to use it

Simmer equal parts espagnole and brown stock and reduce by half to make demi-glace. Add red wine and shallots for bordelaise, mushrooms for a mushroom sauce, or mustard and vinegar for sauce Robert. Use it to enrich stews and braises.

Common mistakes

• Burning the roux. A brown roux needs low heat and constant stirring. Black specks mean start again.
• Using a pale or weak stock, which gives a dull sauce.
• Not skimming. Fat and foam make the sauce greasy and cloudy.
• Cooking it too briefly, which leaves a floury taste.

Where it comes from

The name means "Spanish" in French. Why is not certain. It became a mother sauce in the 1800s through French chefs such as Carême and, later, Escoffier.