In cooking, brown sauce can be associated with different types of preparations. La espagnole, one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine, is a traditional variant. However, steak sauce (popular in the UK, used for seasoning meat and potatoes) and Chinese-style sauce for sautéing can also fall into this category. Each preparation has a different flavor and is used for different purposes, but they are all delicious, tasty and easy to prepare.
Ingrediants
Espagnole sauce
- 1 small carrot, diced
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 60 g of butter
- 40 g of all-purpose flour
- 1 liter of beef broth
- 60 g of canned tomato puree
- 2 large garlic cloves, minced
- 1 celery cut into cubes
- 2, 5 g of whole black peppercorns
- ½ bay leaf
- 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
- 2 sprigs of fresh parsley
Steak sauce
- 120 g of pitted plums
- 250 ml of ketchup
- 250 ml of apple cider vinegar
- 60 ml of water
- 60ml Worcestershire sauce
- 90 g of well-pressed muscovado sugar
- 30 ml of molasses
- 4 coarsely chopped green onions
- 2 anchovy fillets
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 head of garlic
- 15 g of dried mustard
- 15 g of ground allspice
- 15 g of freshly ground black pepper
- A pinch of cayenne pepper
Gravy sauce
- 80 g of sliced mushrooms
- 20 g of chopped onion
- 15 g of butter
- 250 ml of beef broth
- 30 ml of water
- 15 g of corn starch
Sauce for sautéing
- 120 ml of soy sauce
- 120 ml of oyster sauce
- 120 ml of Chinese cooking wine
- 30 g of corn starch
- 15 g of sugar
- 30 ml of sesame seed oil
- 30 g of ground white pepper
Steps
Part 1 of 4: French Spanish Salsa
Step 1. Cook the onion and carrot
In a medium thick-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the onion and carrot. Let them cook for about 8 minutes, stirring regularly until golden.
Espagnole is a French mother sauce, so it can be used as a base preparation for different types of sauces. This one in particular contains broth, roux, vegetables and spices
Step 2. Prepare the roux
Add the flour to the onion and carrot. Cook over medium-low heat. Stir constantly for about 8 minutes - the roux should turn brown.
Roux is a preparation made from flour and a fatty substance such as butter or oil. It is used to thicken sauces
Step 3. Add the other ingredients
Pour the hot broth into the roux making sure that the jet is rapid and even. Beat the mixture vigorously and constantly to prevent lumps from forming. When all the broth is poured, add the remaining ingredients, including:
- Tomato;
- Garlic;
- Celery;
- Herbs;
- Spices.
Step 4. Lower the heat and simmer the sauce for about 45 minutes, stirring regularly
The sauce will be ready when it has reduced to about 700ml
Step 5. Once reduced, strain the vegetables and spices before using
At this point it will be ready.
If you intend to keep it, let it cool to room temperature first. Transfer it to a container with a lid and keep it in the fridge for 1 or 2 days
Part 2 of 4: English Style Steak Sauce
Step 1. Place the plums in a heat-resistant medium-sized bowl
Cover them with hot water (after you have covered them, pour in a little more water, allowing for an additional 3 cm margin above the plums) and let them soak for approximately an hour.
In the UK, this sauce is used to flavor French fries, burgers, steaks, breakfast foods and other dishes. It has an intense, acrid, spicy and sweet flavor, as it is made from dried fruit (such as dates or plums), ketchup and vinegar
Step 2. Switch to cooking
Drain the plums and place them in a medium-sized pot with a thick bottom. Add all the other ingredients and simmer over medium heat for 30-45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- The sauce will be ready when it reaches a ketchup-like consistency.
- To suit vegetarian diners, remove the anchovies and replace the Worcestershire sauce with soy.
Step 3. Now, pour the sauce into a food processor or blender and whisk it to get a thick and homogeneous mixture
You can also use a hand blender.
- Before using it, let it cool down to room temperature. Are there any leftovers left? Store them in an airtight glass jar and put them in the fridge.
- The sauce can be kept in the fridge for about a month.
Part 3 of 4: Gravy Meat and Mushrooms
Step 1. Cook the onions and mushrooms
Melt the butter in a medium saucepan, then add the onions and mushrooms. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally: the vegetables should soften.
Gravy is a thick gravy made from meat or vegetables used to garnish meat, baked potatoes, fried potatoes, and other foods. It is often prepared with freshly cooked meat juice, but it can also be based on vegetables and greens such as mushrooms
Step 2. At this point, pour the broth over the vegetables and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring 1 or 2 times
If you are looking for a variant suitable for vegetarians or vegans, replace the meat broth with vegetable broth and the butter with vegan margarine
Step 3. Thicken with water and cornstarch
In a small bowl, whisk the cornstarch and water. Once you get a homogeneous mixture, pour it over the broth, whisking constantly to prevent the formation of lumps.
Let it simmer for 1 to 2 minutes. As the starch heats up, it will thicken the sauce. Serve it hot
Part 4 of 4: Chinese Style Pancake Sauce
Step 1. Whisk all the ingredients vigorously in a medium sized bowl until you have a smooth sauce with a diluted consistency
- Chinese cooking wine can be substituted for sherry.
- For a variation suitable for vegetarian diners, replace the oyster sauce with hoisin or mushroom sauce.
Step 2. Transfer it to an airtight glass jar for storage
Make sure there is enough space in the bowl to allow you to vigorously stir the sauce. Put it in the refrigerator.
Make sure you shake it well before each use
Step 3. Use it for sautéing meat, vegetables or pasta
Chop a clove of garlic, a 1.5 cm piece of fresh ginger and chilli. Place them in a small bowl and pour the sauce by beating it. Just before serving, season the meat, vegetables or pasta evenly with the sauce. Let it cook for another minute, this way it can thicken.
