Espagnole Sauce

A classic French brown sauce made with beef stock, roux, mirepoix, and tomato purée. This rich, flavorful mother sauce is perfect as a base for other sauces or as an accompaniment to meat dishes.

6 servings
1 hr 8 min

Ingredients

  • 1 small carrot
  • 1 medium onion
  • ½ stick unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • 4 cups hot beef stock
  • ¼ cup canned tomato purée
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1 rib celery
  • ½ teaspoon whole black peppercorns
  • 1 leaf bay leaf

Cooking Instructions

  1. 1.

    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.

    63 min

  2. 2.

    Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, discarding solids.

    5 min

  3. 3.

    *Available at some specialty foods shops and cooking.com (stock requires a dilution ratio of 1:16; 1/4 cup concentrate to 4 cups water).