One the most challenging sauce making skills is to accomplish a deep savory flavor without a burnt taste, the Mother Sauce Espagnole is best paired with the most flavorful foods (beef, veal, lamb, pork, venison) because of it's deep rich texture and flavor
Espagnole is made with brown stock, brown roux, and tomato paste
Sauces from the espagnole family are rich, full-bodied
Espagnole sauces can be used to make Demi-Glace and Jus Lie
Demi-Glace is used for small sauces, made with 50% brown stock, 50% brown sauce, then reduced 50%, condensing the flavor and texture, often flavored with madeira, port, sherry or brandy, Demi-Glace provides a very rich sauce base, dark color, glossy, lump-free
Jus Lie, rethickened brown sauce, made from deglazed pan drippings, thickened with roux or cornstarch
Basic Espagnole sauce
Melt 2 tbs butter in sauce pan
Whisk in same amount of flour by weight
Cook until the roux turns brown as the sugar (from flour starch) caramelizes
When roux attains desired color (dark brown, almost dark red), add beef stock, just enough liquid/broth to achieve desired consistency
Whisk in 2 tbs tomato paste
Simmer to remove red color
Consider adding some carmelized onions and mushrooms for a beef dinner
Not every sauce needs to start with a pre-made roux. Roux can be made by coating a protein item in starch, then saute, the combination of fat in the pan and starch coated proteins creates a pan roux that can be the foundation for a quick and easy sauce, taking the next step of braising
Great for multiple beef dishes (bourguignon, stroganoff, salisbury steak, etc) starting with the saute method, then adding braising in liquid (sauce)
Heat saute pan, add olive oil and heat it to rippling
Saute 1/2 diced onion, 2 cloves minced garlic
Coat 1 lb cubed beef with flour, then add to saute pan to brown
The result is you now have roux in the pan along with the pan fond, lots of flavor
As the beef browns, the proteins in the flour cook out, then add some beef stock/broth to deglaze the pan and to make a pan sauce/gravy, as the starches in the flour gelatinize and thicken
Add sliced mushrooms if you desire
Very versatile procedure to this point, now add sour cream for stoganoff, red wine for bourguignon, any other ingredients you like
This procedure can also be used for almost any other protein products, chicken, pork chops, fish, shrimp, scallops, just vary the stock/broth to pair appropriately
Make aromatic roux, melt butter in large skillet over medium heat, saute onion until translucent, then garlic, then add flour, stirring constantly, until flour color lightens and it smells nutty (cook proteins out)
Add milk in increments to form the bechamel sauce, then add cream, stirring frequentlyly
Remove from heat and add cheese, return to low heat, allowing cheese to melt through and become creamy smooth
Cover and keep warm over low heat, stirring occasionally, until pasta is finished
Makes about 2 cups sauce, enough for about 12 oz. fettuccine, linguine, spaghetti, angel hair pasta, pappardelle or your favorite pasta
Add grilled chicken or sautéed shrimp or scallops along with pasta if desired (about 1 lb before cooked)
Alternatives: pepper jack cheese, smoked gouda, sharp cheddar, swiss cheese, goat cheese, gruyere, great way to make basic sauce for macaroni and cheese, or cheese sauce for broccoli or cauliflower
Consider adding tomato concasse to the alfredo sauce for a pink sauce
1 lbs tomatoes (make concasse), or 1 (14 oz) can of diced tomatoes with liquid
1 lb ground beef
1 tbs olive/canaola oil
1.5 tbs butter
1 celery stalk, finely diced
1 carrot, finely diced
1 onion, finely diced
4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 cup beef broth
2 tbs tomato paste
2 bay leaves
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp each, dried basil and oregano
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp rosemary
S&P to taste, try 1/2 tsp each
Procedure
Run celery, onions, garlic and ground beef through a processor, then saute (caramelize lightly)
Add red wine, reduce by 50 percent
Add tomato concasse or diced tomatoes with liquid, tomato paste and bay leaves, bring to slow simmer, cook covered for 3 to 4 hours, add water as needed
Occasionally skim off fat that rises to the surface
Reduce to desired consistency, then check S&P for taste, and adjust as desired
Serve with penne, fettucini, linguine, rigatoni, spaghetti, angel hair, pappardelle or favorite pasta
When pasta is al dente, pour the desired serving amount of sauce into a large skillet, simmering, then add the desired amount of pasta to the sauce and continue cooking and stirring, add a bit more pasta water as needed for desired consistency
When the meat sauce is sticking to the pasta a bit (meat should still be juicy), plate up, add a bit more sauce to the top, and serve with parmesan cheese and garlic bread or focaccia bread or toasted baguette, etc
Saute carrots, celery, and garlic (caramelize lightly) in Dutch oven
Add beef to Dutch oven, brown with softened vegetables, add S&P
Add tomato paste, bay leaf, and white wine to deglaze bottom of pot
Add all onions, cover Dutch oven and reduce heat to simmer for 1/2 hour, without stirring
Stir pot, replace cover and cook 30 minutes more
Stir pot, reduce heat to low and cook uncovered for 8 hours, stir occasionally, keep eye on liquid level, skim fat off top
Onions and beef should break down and intermingle well
Check S&P for taste
Serve with penne or rigatoni or favorite pasta
When pasta is al dente, pour the desired serving amount of sauce into a large skillet, simmering, then add the desired amount of pasta to the sauce and continue cooking and stirring, add a bit more pasta water as needed for desired consistency
When the meat sauce is sticking to the pasta a bit, plate up, add a bit more sauce to the top, and serve with parmesan cheese and garlic bread or focaccia bread
8 large shrimp p&d, halved lengthwise (this example uses shrimp but you can also use scallops, lobster, octopus, chicken, pork, beef as desired, or you can add no additional protein product other than the bacon -- also add vegetables at will, broccoli, peas, green or red peppers, whatever)
1/4 cup white wine to deglaze pan
1/2 cup heavy cream (traditional carbonara does not use cream, but the addition of cream prevents the carbonara from becoming thick and cloying too quickly, much better result
1/4 cup parmesan cheese and a bit more to thicken sauce if needed later, traditionalists will use pecorino cheese, whatever
1 egg yolk, 3 tbs heavy cream, mixed
S&P to taste
5 oz pasta of choice, linguine, fettucini, spaghetti, angel hair, pappardelle, etc
Procedure
Saute bacon, along with onions and garlic (caramelize lightly)
Add shrimp or protein of choice
Add white wine, to deglaze, simmer until au sec
Add heavy cream, and parmesan cheese
Add pasta cooked al dente, stir well
Adjust desired sauce consistency with pasta water or cream or parmesan cheese to thicken
Lower pan heat, then add mixture of egg yolk and cream, adding slowly to temper the egg addition to prevent making scrambled egg, stir well, making creamy sauce
Taste for S&P, adjust accordingly
When the sauce is sticking to the pasta a bit, plate up, add a bit more sauce to the top, and serve with parmesan cheese and garlic bread or focaccia bread
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, a pinch, or to taste if you want it spicier
S&P to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
Procedure
Cook pasta al dente, drain, reserving a cup of the pasta water
Combine garlic, red pepper flakes, S&P and olive oil in cold skillet, cook over medium heat to slowly toast the garlic golden brown, don't overcook, reduce heat to low heat
Add 1/2 cup pasta water to the skillet
Add pasta to the skillet and mix, add 1/2 of the parmesan and 1/2 of the parsley and mix again
Taste for S&P, adjust accordingly
Serve with parmesan cheese and the rest of the parsley and garlic bread or focaccia bread
Optionally serve with sauteed seafood (shrimp, scallops, octopus, fish, etc) or chicken
Add 2-3 tbs flour, stir to blend, note consistency, add more flour if possible because this roux will be cooked until it browns and that takes away from its thickening power
So we want as much flour as possible to begin with to provide the thickening that we need, roux should plop off the whisk, rather than pour
Dark roux has 1/2 the thickening power as blond roux, so you will need 2x as much to get the same thickening power
Start cooking the protein out of the flour to get rid of the pasty taste, whisk frequently, watching the roux go from yellow to white, to brown, and finally to dark brown and savory
Butter (milk fat, milk solids, water) is an emulsifier, bringing together the fat and liquid in an emulsion, and because butter fat melts at 93F it produces nice mouthfeel, not a fatty residue in mouth
Roux turns brown as the sugar (from flour starch) caramelizes
When roux attains desired color, add beef broth for a beef dinner
Add just enough liquid/broth to achieve desired consistency
Larger quantities of roux can be made in advance, and poured into a small bread pan lined with parchment paper, then refrigerated and cut into 1 inch cubes, placed in ziplock freezer bag and frozen for later use, using the cubes to thicken your broth, saving lots of time
The above make-ahead-storage technique also works for blond roux for chicken and turkey gravy
Remember, cold roux/hot liquid, or hot roux/cold liquid for best blend
1 lb ground beef, add some ground pork or sausage if desired
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup red wine
1 28 oz can of tomato puree
2 tbs olive oil
S&P to taste
Italian herbs as desired, basil, oregano
Procedure
Into hot Dutch oven, add oil, get hot without smoking
Add ground meat, break up as much as possible, cook through most of the way (browning), at this point drain off excess fat if necessary
Add onion and garlic to meat, cook for a few minutes
Add wine, cook for about 1 minute
Add tomato puree and 1/4 cup water (used to rinse tomato can before discarding)
Bring to soft simmer, reduce heat a bit, partially cover Dutch oven with lid, cook for about 3.5 hrs
After 3.5 hours, taste the sauce, add salt as desired, if it needs sweetening add a teaspoon of sugar, add the Italian herbs, continue to cook for a few more minutes
3/4 lb ground beef, or Steak-umms (cut into 1/2 inch by 1 inch pieces), or ground pork, or sausage if desired
1/2 onion, small dice
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
1 tbs tomato paste
2/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup water
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp yellow mustard, dijon is great
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
buns or brioche rolls for serving
Procedure
Heat oil in cast-iron skillet
Add ground meat, break up as much as possible, cook through most of the way (browning), at this point drain off excess fat if necessary, (brown Steak-umm pieces), remove meat, set aside
Saute onion, bell pepper, then garlic, soften
Add water to deglaze, cook for about 1 minute to reduce slightly
Add tomato paste, ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, mustard, paprika, salt, pepper, cook for 1 minute to blend everything
Add meat back into skillet (unless using Steak-umms, in which case add back for the last 15 minutes of simmering time)
Bring to soft simmer, reduce heat, cover skillet with lid, cook for about 45 minutes
Taste the sauce, adjust as desired, continue to cook uncovered for a few more minutes or until desired consistency is achieved by reduction
1.5 lb ground beef, or ground pork, or sausage, or combination if desired, or use stew meat, top or bottom round, or pork butt or pork loin cut into 3/4 inch cubes
1 onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 celery stalks, small dice
1 green, yellow, red, or orange bell pepper, small dice
1 tbs ancho chili powder
2 tbs New Mexican chili powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
Hot sauce or powdered cayenne pepper (try 1/4 tsp for the spicy intolerant) to taste
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tbs brown sugar
4 tbs tomato paste
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 cup red wine
1.5 cup beef broth
1 - 28 oz can chopped tomatoes
1 - 14 oz can tomato sauce
2 - 15 oz cans light or dark red kidney beens (or black beans or pinto beans)
1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
1/2 tsp black pepper, or to taste
4 diced scallions, sour cream, shredded cheese (cheddar or Mexican blend is good)
Procedure
In large pot, brown meat, then add the red wine and beef broth, and simmer for 4 to 6 hours, until meat is very tender
Heat oil in Dutch oven, saute onions, celery, bell peppers, and garlic, season with S&P, cook until vegetables are soft
Add meat with its juice to Dutch oven, then add chili powders, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar, tomato paste, oregano, cook for a minute, add tomatoes and tomato sauce, beans, reduce heat and simmer for a couple hours, add more beef broth if needed, add salt and black pepper
Taste, adjust as desired, continue to cook uncovered until desired consistency is achieved
Serve with shredded cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and diced scallions
1 lb lean ground beef, or shredded beef (made with braised stew meat)
1/2 cup onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup beef broth
Optional: consider adding diced bell peppers (sauteed with the onions)
Red Sauce Ingredients
4 tbs oil
4 tbs AP flour
1.5 tbs chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp dried oregano
3 cups beef broth
S&P to taste (try 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper)
14 corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Procedure
Saute onion and garlic, brown the ground beef, or heat the shredded beef, and add seasonings and spices, add 1 cup beef broth to braise the beef, reduce down, allowing some of the moisture to remain (for moist enchiladas), set aside
Heat the corn tortillas in hot oil in small pan, do not toast or brown or make crispy, just warmed, 8-10 seconds, set aside on baking sheet to cool (tortillas have to roll up for enchiladas)
1 lb lean ground pork, or shredded pork (made with braised pork butt or loin)
1/2 cup onion, minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper
1 cup chicken broth
Optional: consider adding diced bell peppers (sauteed with the onions)
Red Sauce Ingredients
4 tbs oil
4 tbs AP flour
1 tbs chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
2 tbs tomato paste
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp dried oregano
3 cups chicken broth
S&P to taste (try 1/4 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper)
14 corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
Procedure
Saute onion and garlic, brown the ground pork, or heat the shredded pork, and add seasonings and spices, add 1 cup chicken broth broth to braise the pork, reduce down, allowing some of the moisture to remain (for moist enchiladas), set aside
Heat the corn tortillas in hot oil in small pan, do not toast or brown or make crispy, just warmed, 8-10 seconds, set aside on baking sheet to cool (tortillas have to roll up for enchiladas)
1 tbs chili powder (New Mexican chili powder is great)
1/2 cup cilantro leaves
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp lime juice
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1 avocado, diced (optional for adding creaminess)
14 corn tortillas
3 cups shredded Mexican cheese blend
1/2 cup cilantro leaves, chopped (for topping)
Procedure
Saute onion and garlic, and warm shredded chicken through, add cumin, s&p to taste, set aside
Heat the corn tortillas in hot oil in small pan, do not toast or brown or make crispy, just warmed, 8-10 seconds, set aside on baking sheet to cool (tortillas have to roll up for enchiladas)
Salsa Verde
Remove papery husks from tomatillos
Cut the tomatillos in half, and place cut side down on foil-lined baking sheet
Place under broiler for 5-7 minutes until tomatillo skins are browned
Put the cooked tomatillos, lime juice, onions, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, cumin (and avocado, if using) in processor and pulse until all ingredients are finely chopped and mixed
Check to see if salt is needed
Baking Dish 9x12 (may need 2)
Combine chicken with 1/3 cup salsa verde
Roll tortillas up with about 2 tbs chicken mixture and 1 tbs cheese
Fill the dish with 14 rolled enchiladas
Pour remaining salsa verde over them, spread it out
Sprinkle with cheese and optional diced onions
Cover baking dish with foil
Set oven to 375F, 20 minutes covered, 10-15 minutes uncovered
Allow to rest for 15 minutes before serving with rice, refried beans, guacamole, optional dollops of sour cream
Make roux with butter and flour, cook until color changes to white and nutty aroma
Make veloute white sauce, add chicken broth in small increments, stir in each addition, until desired sauce consistency is achieved, stir in creme cheese, then sour cream
Cover and keep warm until ready to use
Serve over enchiladas or with fish, chicken, vegetables
Add lemon juice and white wine over low heat and reduce about 25%
Add cream (warmed first in microwave for 30 seconds), increase heat to medium simmer and reduce until nappe is enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes
Reduce heat to low and add butter in small increments until each addition is emulsified, be patient at this step lest the sauce breaks
When all butter is melted in and nappe is good (coats back of spoon), season with a bit of salt and pepper, try 1/2 tsp each, then to taste, also check here for level of lemon, more brightness may be desired, if so add another teaspoon
Stir in herbs here, fresh is best for flavor and color, but do what's possible with what's at hand
Preheat oven to 425F, line large baking sheet with foil
Cut whole head of garlic at the equator to expose all cloves, drizzle with olive oil, wrap tightly in foil, put in oven on baking sheet and roast for 45 minutes
Pull garlic from oven, allow to cool, squeeze the cloves out of the paper onto cutting board, smash the garlic into paste, set aside
In medium sauce pan at medium heat, add butter, when melted add flour, make roux, cook out the flour's proteins, about 1 minute
Add the wine, reduce it a bit, add broth, bring to simmer, making veloute, add the smashed garlic, season with salt and pepper, add thyme or other herbs
Cook long enough to achieve the desired nappe, semi-thin gravy/sauce