Espagnole is a brown sauce that is rarely used on its own, but it can be added to soups, stews, sauces, risottos, and many other dishes, giving them a rich, savory flavor.

To make Espagnole, you’ll need:

1 ounce of clarified butter
1 ounce of all-purpose flour
3 cups of beef stock
2 tablespoons of tomato puree
1/2 cup of diced onion
1/4 cup of diced carrots
1/4 cup of diced celery
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme
3-4 fresh parsley stems
7-8 whole black peppercorns

The cooking process:

Fold the bay leaf, thyme, parsley stems, and peppercorns into a square of cheesecloth and tie the corners with kitchen twine. Leave one string long enough so that you can tie it to the handle of the pot to make it easier to take it out.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat until it becomes frothy.
Add onions, carrots, and celery. Fry them for a few minutes until they are browned.
With a wooden spoon, gradually stir the flour into the mixture until it’s fully incorporated and turns into a thick paste.
Reduce the heat and cook the roux for about 5 more minutes until it starts to take on a very light brown color.
Using a whisk, slowly add the stock and tomato puree to the roux, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps from forming.
Bring it to a boil, reduce the heat, and add the sachet with spices into the sauce. Simmer the sauce over low heat for about 50 minutes or until its total volume is reduced by about 1/3. Stir frequently so the sauce doesn’t burn at the bottom of the pot.
Remove the sauce from the heat and take out the sachet. For an extra smooth consistency, carefully strain the sauce through a cheesecloth sieve.

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