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–+ servings
A rich velvety sauce made from stock, mirepoix, and tomato puree.

Espagnole

Judith Coates
Espagnole sauce is a delicious addition to meat dishes, with a peppery note that pairs well with meat dishes.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course condiment, dinner
Cuisine French
Servings 4 people

Equipment

  • Heavy-bottomed saucepan
  • Wooden spoon
  • Whisk
  • Fine mesh sieve or blender
  • Cutting board and knife

Ingredients

  • 2 oz pork or beef dripping Can be bought at the butchers or good supermarkets if you don't have your own. Or 6 tablespoons butter.
  • 2 oz onion chopped finely
  • 3 oz lean bacon chopped into small pieces
  • 1 small carrot chopped finely
  • 1 stick of celery chopped finely
  • 1 clove of garlic chopped finely
  • 1 oz all purpose flour
  • ¾ pt of stock this can be beef stock or a vegetable stock
  • 1 teaspoon of tomato purée
  • 1 sprig of parsley you can use ¼ teaspoon dried
  • 1 sprig of thyme you can use ¼ teaspoon dried
  • 1 small bayleaf
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
 

  • Wash and chop all vegetables and measure other ingredients.
  • Heat the fat in a heavy bottomed pan. Fry the onion, carrot, celery, and bacon gently for five minutes. Add garlic during last minute.
  • Add the flour and stir continuously to coat pan contents, as it cooks slowly and gradually turns brown.
  • Add the stock slowly, stirring constantly with a whisk, then add tomato purée, parsley, thyme, salt, and pepper, continuing to stir until it boils.
  • Cover the pan and on a low heat, simmering for about half an hour.
  • Press through a sieve or put in a blender/liquidiser or handblend in the pot. If your sauce is too thick, add a little more stock to make thinner to the consistence you desire.
  • Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning as you prefer by adding salt or pepper.
  • If you want a smoother finer sauce, strain it.

Notes

  • This is an easy sauce to make. Chopping the vegetables uniformly will be helpful during the cooking process and for good flavor.
With this basic sauce recipe, you can make a number of variations for other dishes:
Sauce Madère
To the above sauce, add four tablespoons of Madeira halfway through the cooking.
This delicious sauce can be used to accompany ham, beef, veal, and egg dishes.
Sauce Piquante
This is a delicious sauce that you can use with pork, boiled beef, or any leftovers.
Simply fry 2 oz chopped shallot or onion in a little butter in a heavy-bottomed pan. 
Add 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar and boil until almost evaporated.
Add the brown sauce as above, with 2 oz chopped gherkins, ¼ teaspoon French mustard, and 1 oz butter.

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Nutrition

Calories: 83kcalCarbohydrates: 11gProtein: 8gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.1gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.05gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 690mgPotassium: 264mgFiber: 1gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 2587IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
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