Espagnole Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 kg veal or beef bones
• 60 g butter
• 60 g plain flour
• 2 l brown stock
• 1 pieces onion, diced
• 1 pieces carrot, diced
• 1 pieces celery stalk, diced
• 3 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 pieces bay leaf
• 3 pieces thyme sprigs

Steps

1. 1
   Roast the bones at 220C for 45 minutes until deeply browned, adding the mirepoix for the last 20 minutes.
2. 2
   Melt the butter and stir in the flour, then cook it slowly for 15-20 minutes, stirring, until it is the colour of a hazelnut shell. This brown roux burns in a moment if the heat is up.
3. 3
   Stir the tomato paste into the roasted vegetables and cook 3 minutes until it darkens.
4. 4
   Whisk the warm brown stock into the roux gradually, then add the bones, vegetables and herbs.
5. 5
   Simmer very gently, uncovered, for 3 hours, skimming the fat and scum every 20 minutes.
6. 6
   Strain through a fine sieve, pressing lightly, and season.
7. 7
   For demi-glace, reduce the strained sauce with an equal volume of brown stock by half again.