Espagnole Sauce

Espagnole Sauce is one of the 5 French Mother Sauces that I have been rabbiting on about this month. On Saturday, I completed phase one of the sauce which was making a Veal Stock. I let my stock chill over night on the balcony and then removed the thin layer of fat that formed on top of the sauce, then I ran it through a very fine sieve to ensure that it was clear and free of debris. The result is a gorgeous brown stock that glimmers and sparkles both in the pot and in the mouth.

Phase 2 is turning the stock into an Espagnole Sauce, which is basically a classic brown sauce. It is also one of the main components in a Demi Glace, which I think I will attempt next.  Luckily there seems to be enough Veal Stock left to go on to Phase 3!

Espagnole is typically made from veal or beef stock, mirepoix (carrots, onions and celery), and tomatoes, and thickened using a dark roux.  Remember when I made the Bernaise Sauce a while back, that I barely cooked the roux so it would remain blonde....well this is the opposite kind of roux because it requires colour and longer cooking.

I really don`t know the origin of the name of the sauce, except that the word ``Espagnole`` is French for ``Spanish``. There are a few stories about its origin including one that says the French perceive Germans to have blue eyes and the Spanish to have brown.  Uh....ok...whatever. Then there is another story that says that for her wedding to King Louis XIII of France, Queen Ann - who came from Spain - brought her own Spanish chefs to help with the food. The Spanish Chefs insisted on adding a Spanish element to a basic French brown sauce for the banquet - Spanish tomatoes - and the new sauce was such a hit, it became a staple in the French kitchen and was named in honour of its creators. I like that story better than the one about eye colours.

Espagnole Sauce

1 small carrot, peeled and rough chopped
1 medium onion, peeled and rough chopped

1 celery rib, rough chopped
1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups hot Veal Stock
1/4 cup tomato purée (or Passata de Pomodoro Fresca)
2 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped
1/2 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 bay leaf


Melt butter in a heavy saucepan over moderate heat.  Add carrot, onion celery and cook,stirring occasionally, until golden brown (about 7 or 8 minutes). Sprinkle flour over carrots and onion and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until medium brown for about 6 to 10 minutes.



Add hot stock a bit at a ladleful at a time, being sure to keep whisking constantly to prevent lumps.  Once all stock is incorporated, add tomato purée, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaf and bring to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Once the sauce starts to boil, reduce heat to low and cook at a gentle simmer for about 45 minutes or until the sauce is reduced to about 3 cups.

Pour sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl and discard any solids that are left behind.

Cook's Note:  This may be one of the finest tasting sauces I have EVER had.  I will definitely put in the time to do this again, except in a much bigger batch.