The mother of all brown sauces. Espagnole is rich, powerful and deep in flavour thanks to roasted bones, mirepoix, tomato purée and brown stock. Although many modern restaurants work directly with demi-glace, espagnole remains the classic base on which countless French sauces are built.
Espagnole
Sauce espagnole
Espagnole
Sauce espagnole
Method
01
Mirepoix
Melt the butter in a large pan and fry the onion, carrot, celeriac and leek over a medium heat for 10 minutes until the vegetables turn a nice golden brown. Add the tomato purée and cook for another 2 minutes so it caramelises lightly.
02
Brown roux
Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and keep stirring constantly. Cook the roux for 6 to 8 minutes until it has a nice hazelnut-brown colour. The darker the roux, the deeper the final sauce, but never let it burn.
03
Deglaze
Deglaze with the red wine and scrape all the browned bits from the bottom. Reduce the wine by about half.
04
Add the stock
Add the warm brown veal stock and whisk everything smooth. Then add the bay leaf, thyme, parsley and peppercorns.
05
Simmer
Bring the sauce slowly to just below boiling and then leave to simmer very gently for 1½ hours. Regularly skim the scum and excess fat from the surface for a clear, pure sauce.
06
Strain
Pass the sauce first through a fine sieve and then, if you like, through dampened muslin for an extra smooth result.
07
Season
Only carefully season with salt right at the end.
Tips & notes
A classic espagnole is rarely a finished sauce. Think of it as a building block. Reducing it further produces demi-glace, from which practically all classic brown restaurant sauces are then made. Take your time skimming; that is exactly what gives the clear, deep flavour that French cuisine is known for. Keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge, and freezes very well (up to 3 months); the flavour often deepens further the next day.
Chef's tip
In modern gastronomy, espagnole is often skipped and people work directly with a powerful veal jus or demi-glace. Yet mastering this classic mother sauce is essential to truly understanding how the French system of sauces is built up. Anyone who can make a perfect espagnole understands the basis of practically all brown sauces.
Variations
- Demi-glace – Espagnole further enriched and reduced with veal jus.
- Jus lié – The modern, lighter replacement without roux.
- Sauce tomate – The fifth mother sauce, based on tomato instead of roux.
Contains:
Gluten
Milk
Celery
Sulphites
Serve with
- As a base for demi-glace
- Brown sauces in general
| Calories | 222 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 7 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fibre | 11 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
