Brown Sauces

Espagnole sauce is very much like velouté only dark broths and roux cooked to the dark stage are used.  It is flavorful and should complement the meat and not over power it.  Usually a dark roux is used.  Often a mirepoix adds flavor and aroma to the broth or stock.  Sometimes a small amount of tomato sauce is added.

 

We have discussed roux and you should be able to detect the stages of cooking for roux.  It is essential to watch the roux closely and to continually whisk the roux to prevent scorching and burning.  Burning will make the sauce bitter and unenjoyable.  Cook the roux to the dark stage.

 

Sometimes addition thickening is desired.  Do not just add flour.  Mix your thickening with a little water and add to the sauce, whisking continuously.  Flour, cornstarch, potato starch or other starches can be used for thickening.  Some recipes call for bread crumbs or crushed gingersnaps to thicken the gravy or sauce.  It is important to cook after the thickening is added to avoid a raw flour taste.

 

Most dark gravies fall into this kind of sauce.  Gravies are usually made from the meat juices left in the pan after cooking.  The pan drippings consist of fat, broth and protein from the meat and are used instead of the butter.  Of course if there is not enough fat, some butter can be added.

 

Types of sauces in this category are demi-glace, some wine reduction sauces, Robert Sauce, Port Wine Sauce, Sauce Africaine, Lyonnaise Sauce, Sauce Charcutiere, Madiera Sauce, Sauce Bigarde, Sauce Chasseur, Sauce Bourguignonne, Mushroom sauce, Sauce Chevreuil, and Green Peppercorn Sauce.

This Week’s Challenge - Make an Espagrole sauce

 

            Choose a dark stock or broth and a make an espagrole sauce.  Don’t forget to think about how you will use the sauce.  Make up a dish or research a recipe online.  Plan a meal around your sauce.  You may choose to use a variation of this sauce.

The ingredients

Cook the onion, carrot and celery in the butter.
 

Add the flour and cook to a brown roux

Stir the roux wih the vegetables.

Place the seasonings in a cheesecloth or
piece of cotton.

Heat the beef broth

Add to the roux and vegetables.

Add the tomato sauce and the sachet of
seasonings.

Simmer to reduce.

Strain the reduce sauce

Reduce sauce to the desired consistency



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Espagole Sauce

by Unknown October-15-2016

This sauce is very velvety and adds elegance to any dish.

Ingredients

• 1/4 C Carrots, finely diced
• 1/4 C Celery, finely diced
• 1/2 C Onion, finely diced
• 2 T Butter
• 2 T Flour
• 3 C Beef broth, heated to a simmer
• 2 T Tomato paste
• Bay Leaf
• Sprig of Thyme
• Parsley stems
• Peppercorns
• Garlic cloves

Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a skillet.2. Add the carrots, celery and onion. And sauté until beginning to brown.3. Add the flour and continue cooking and stirring until a medium dark roux.4. Slowly add the hot broth. Continue to whisk and cook to just under a boil.5. Add the tomato paste. 6. Make a sachet containing the bay leaf, 3 sprigs of thyme, some parsley stems, 2-3 garlic cloves and ½ t peppercorns and add to the sauce.7. Lower the heat and allow the sauce to reduce by half just below a simmer, about 45 minutes.8. Line a mesh strainer with cheese cloth and strain the sauce into a clean sauce pan to remove any solids. Discard the solids.9. Keep the sauce warm until time to serve.

Details

Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 55 mins Total time: 1 hour 15 mins Yield: 2 C

Tip for this Week – Mirepoix

 

Mirepoix is used to add flavor and aroma to stocks, soups and sauces. It is finely chopped carrots 25%, onion 50%, and celery 25% or one part each carrot and celery and 2 parts onion.  Uniformly cut, the smaller the dice the more flavor and aroma is added to the stock.  Sometimes other vegetables are used like mushrooms, leeks, celeriac and parsnips. Sometimes the mirepoix is roasted before adding to the stock; sometime it is cooked in the stock. Mirepoix can be used with white sauce or stocks or brown.  Many cuisines have their own version of this, and example would be the Cajun Holy Trinity of onion celery and bell pepper.

Cut the carrot and celery into strips, then
finely dice them.  The small the dice more
flavor is released.

Cook the mirapoix in butter .  It can be
used in soups and sauces.

This Week in Punkin’s Kitchen

Green Peppercorn Sauce for steak

 

            This is a very elegant dinner for two.  The sauce is smooth and velvety.  I ordered the green peppercorns online.

 

The ingredients

Measure and heat the beef broth

 

 

Drain the green peppercorn

 

In a skillet melt the butter and cook the
steak to the desired doneness.

 

 

Remove the steak and allow to set.

 

 

Add the shallot to the pan that the steak
was cooked..

 

Add the reduce beef broth.

 

Add the cream, brandy and peppercorns.
Cook a few minutes to release the alcohol.

 

I like to serve the sauce under the steak
with just a little over the top.

 

 

From:  http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/filet-mignon-with-green-peppercorn-cream-sauce-15687

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Green Peppercorn Sauce for Steak

by From: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/filet-mignon-with-green-peppercorn-cream-sauce-15687 October-15-2016

This is a very elegant dinner for two. The sauce is smooth and velvety. I ordered the green peppercorns online.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 C Beef stock or broth
• 3 T Butter, unsalted
• 1/4 C Shallots, chopped
• 1 C Heavy whipping cream
• 3-4 T Cognac or brandy
• 2 T Green peppercorns in brine, drained
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Place the stock in a sauce pan and simmer to reduce in half.2. Melt the butter in a skillet that will hold the steaks.3. Saute the steaks to the desired doneness and remove from the skillet.4. Add the shallots to the skillet and cook.5. Add the reduced broth, cream, cognac and green peppercorns.6. Boil until the mixture reaches and sauce consistency, about 6 minutes7. Taste and adjust the seasoning.8. Plate the steaks and spoon the sauce over them.

Details

Prep time: 10 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 40 mins Yield: 1 C

 

Soup of the Week

 

Chicken and  Wild Rice Soup

I made this with homemade chicken
broth and leftover

Remove the fat from the chicken broth and
heat it up.  Add the celery and mushrooms.

When the celery and mushrooms are
cooked add the wild rice and chicken.

Add the seasonings and cook until
the chicken is warmed up.

When everything is hot and bubbly, it
is ready to serve.

 

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Chicken and Wild rice Soup

by Grace Barnes October-15-2016

I made this with homemade chicken broth and leftover Rice Medley with Mushrooms posted on February 26, 2016. But this is the recipe made without leftovers. It is a great way to use leftover rice.

Ingredients

• 4-6 C Chicken stock
• 2 C Chicken, boiled and broken into pieces
• 1 C Celery, sliced with leafy tops
• 3/4 C Mushrooms, sliced
• 1 C Wild rice or rice of choice, cooked
• 1/2 t Thyme, dried or fresh chopped
• 1 T Parsley, freshly chopped
• 2 t Onion powder
• Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat the stock up while you chop the vegetables.2. Add the celery and mushrooms.3. Simmer until the vegetables are done.4. Add the wild rice, chicken and seasonings.5. Simmer a few more minutes until the chicken is warmed up.6. Serve with crusty bread.

Details

Prep time: 15 mins Cook time: 30 mins Total time: 45 mins Yield: 6-8 servings


Happy Cooking!