My favorite of the five mother sauces is an espagnole sauce. This is mostly because some of my favorite sauces come from an espagnole sauce, like demi glace and sauce robert. Espagnole sauce is known as the French brown sauce. It is probably the richest of the sauces of the French sauces and is often used with red meats.
What is a Mother Sauce?
In French cuisine there are five sauces known as ‘Mother Sauces.’ They are the foundation of many sauces and the base in which many come from by adding other ingredients. The sauces include bechamel, espagnole, veloute, hollandaise, and tomato sauce. If you know the techniques of how to make these five sauces, you can make thousands of sauces from it.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions for an Espagnole:
- Butter – butter is used for the roux, however you can use a neutral oil instead.
- Flour – I use a gluten free 1-1 flour, but you can also use all purpose for the roux.
- Standard mirepoix – onions, celery and carrots that have been diced. Omit if you don’t have, but leave in for flavor if you can.
- Tomato Paste – This is to add a richness of flavor to the sauce. Do not omit if you can!
- Beef Stock -Homemade is best, but any beef stock works. You can use any stock here in place.
Derivatives of Espagnole Sauce:
- Demi Glace
- Sauce Robert
- Bordelaise Sauce
- Chasseur (Hunter’s Sauce)
- Madeira Sauce
- Some Gravies
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SERVINGS: 1 Quart
- PREP TIME: 20 Mins
- ACTIVE TIME: 30 Mins
- TOTAL TIME: 50 Min
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/4 cup gluten free 1-1 flour or AP flour
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 carrot, diced
- 1 celery, diced
- salt and pepper
- 1 tbsp tomato paste
- 1.25 quart beef stock stock
- 1 bay leaf
- 10 parsley stems
- 3 sprigs thyme
Preparation:
STEP 1.
Make a brown roux. In a pan over medium heat melt the butter and once bubbling sprinkle in the flour. Stir with a wooden spoon until it is golden brown, around 8-10 minutes. Set aside.
STEP 2.
In a pot over medium heat, add the oil. Once warmed, stir in the onions, carrots and celery and saute until translucent, salting as you go. This takes around 5-8 minutes. Once cooked, stir in the tomato paste and coat the vegetables. Cook for 3-5 minutes until it is a rust color.
STEP 3.
Stir in the beef stock and brown roux. Bring up to a simmer and season with salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the bay leaf, parsley and thyme and simmer on low. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour, stirring every 5 minutes or so. Cook until thickened and flavor has developed, then turn off the heat.
STEP 4.
Strain through a fine mesh strainer and store or use as needed!
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