Espagnole Sauce (Escoffier)
Espagnole is the classic French brown sauce, taken here from Escoffier's Le Guide Culinaire. It starts with a brown roux and a large pot of brown stock, then gets its depth from tomato paste, mirepoix and a bouquet garni during a slow simmer of two to three hours. The patient skimming and final straining give a glossy, smooth base. Cooks use it on its own or as the foundation for demi-glace and other sauces.
Instructions
Put the cold roux in a bowl and stir in a little of the cold brown stock until it dissolves into a smooth slurry.
Bring the rest of the stock to a boil in a deep, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat, then turn the heat down so it simmers.
Temper the roux by ladling a bit of the hot stock into it while whisking hard. Then pour the tempered roux slowly into the simmering stock, stirring the whole time so no lumps form.
Dissolve the tomato paste in some of the stock and stir it into the pot. Add the mirepoix and the bouquet garni.
Simmer gently with the pot partly covered for 2 to 3 hours, skimming off any scum that rises to the surface from time to time.
If the sauce gets too thick, add more stock. It is ready when it lightly coats the back of a spoon.
Season to taste, then strain the sauce and skim off all the fat. Refrigerate or freeze it if you are not using it right away.
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