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Cooking Class....Back to Basics.......Brown Sauce

One of the grand sauces, also called Espagnole, brown sauce can be a little intimidating to make. The classic method of preparing a brown sauce is a lengthy and involved process that calls for Bayonne ham, veal, and partridges....no not the Danny, Keith and Lorrie kind.......the bird kind. The contemporary version has been greatly simplified and the cooking time reduced.

Sauce espagnole, though it is rarely served on its own, is still an important preparation. It is used to prepare demi-glace, and may be used to prepare derivative sauces such as Bordelaise, Chasseur, Diable, Diane, Robert and Chateaubriand. It is believed that this is one of the sauces that arrived with Catherine of Aragon and the chefs in her entourage when she married Henry VIII.

The stock is directly responsible for the ultimate success of this sauce. It must be of excellent quality with a rich flavor and aroma. The flavor should be well balanced with no strong notice of herbs or spices that might overwhelm the finished sauce. On the other hand, if the stock has a weak flavor, the sauce will be similarly lacking in taste.

The addition of mirepoix to the sauce is made at the chef's discretion. If there is sufficient flavor in the stock, then it may be unnecessary.

If tomato puree is unavailable, tomato paste, concasseed tomatoes, or plain tomato sauce may be substituted. Be sure to allow whatever tomato product you select sufficient time to cook our properly.

Brown roux contributes to the flavor, color, and texture of the finished sauce. Some chefs like to make this particular roux in the oven to avoid developing a bitter taste.

The Method:
1. Sweat the mirepoix in a little oil or clarified butter until juices are released and onions are translucent. "Sweating" implies that aromatic vegetables are being cooked gently over low heat, usually in a covered pot so they release their flavor.

2. Add the tomato puree and sauté until caramelized. Allowing the tomato to "cook out" reduces any excessive sweetness, acidity, or bitterness, which might affect the finished sauce. This process is referred to in French as "pincage", a culinary term which indicates that an ingredient (usually tomatoes) is browned in fat.

3. Add brown stock to the mirepoix, bring it to a boil, and gradually incorporate the brown roux. In order for roux to properly thicken the sauce, it is important that the sauce be at a boil as the roux is incorporated. Stir or whip the sauce constantly while adding the roux a little at a time. There will be a tendency for the roux to form lumps and fall to the bottom of the pot. The correct ratio of roux to stock for a sauce is 12 ounces of roux to 1 gallon of stock.

4. Simmer the sauce for approximately 2 to 3 hours, skimming the surface throughout the cooking time. Once the roux has been fully incorporated, reduce the heat until a low, gentle simmer is established. A cooking time of up to 3 hours allows the starchy taste and feel of the roux to completely cook out of the sauce. Remember that this sauce is often reduced further; so don't add extra seasoning until the sauce is finished.

5. Strain the sauce through a sieve. At this point, the sauce is ready for use in other preparations, or it may be cooled and stored for later use.

Some of our cooking partners are glad to help us out with different brown sauce recipes:

Quick Brown Sauce with Variations from www.cooksrecipes.com

Basic Brown Sauce with Variations from www.cooksrecipes.com

Wild Mushroom Brown Sauce from www.cooksrecipes.com

When using cheesecloth, please remember to rinse it out. Cheesecloth may have a little "dust" in it or some fine fibers that are still clinging to the cloth. Rinse in cold water very well.

The Wringing Method:
Drape the cloth over a bowl and pour the sauce into it. Gather up the ends of the cheesecloth and twist the two ends in opposite directions. (Just as if you were twisting the ends of a package). Continue to twist until all the sauce has been wrung from the cheesecloth. Both methods usually work better if two people are helping, but it is very possible to do this task on your own.

The Milking Method:
Drape rinsed cheesecloth over a pot or bowl. Pour the sauce into the lined pot. Two people should hold onto the corners of the cloth. Lift one corner at a time, alternating from one side to another. The other corners should be held steady. Lift one corner at a time and allow the sauce to drip through. This one is my favorite. I do this one handed by just gathering up the corners and lifting the bundle up and down over the pot. Guarantees a smooth sauce.

Here's one of our recipes to give you a little practice straining sauces:

Grilled Beef Tenderloin with Marsala-Mushroom Sauce

3. Jus Lié
Jus Lié, frequently referred to simply as "jus" is a thickened sauce made from stock. Some chefs prefer a relatively strict interpretation of this term. To them, it should be nothing more than either a stock or drippings from a roast lightly thickened with arrowroot.

Other chefs use it as a replacement for the classic grand sauce, demi-glace. Although similar to a demi-glace in appearance and use, jus lié requires less cooking time because it contains a modified starch (arrowroot, for example.....or something like our own Instant Food Thickener) as a thickener. It also has a greater degree of clarity, translucence, and sheen. It does have a less deep and complex flavor and a somewhat lighter texture and color. It may be used in the preparation of many other sauces, in the same way as demi-glace. Jus lié is often used to deglaze pans to create sauces that are specifically tailored to sautés or roasts.

Another way in which jus lié can be varied is to introduce the flavor of a special spice or herb. Since this sauce does not require the lengthy simmering called for with demi-glace, it is more appropriate to make smaller batches. For example, sprigs of rosemary or tarragon may be added to the jus lié as it develops. This would not be done as a step in preparing demi-glace, since the object of demi-glace is to produce a foundation sauce where a single, pronounced flavor might be inappropriate for some uses.

Jus de veau lié indicates a sauce made with a brown veal stock as its base. It is possible to use an array of other base stocks, to further vary the range of possibilities with jus lié. Brown stocks based on poultry, game, pork, or even vegetable stocks are made in kitchens today.

The four basic elements of jus lié are:
Brown stock
Mirepoix, cut into large dice
Tomato purée
Arrowroot, diluted in a cold liquid

Method:
1. Sweat the mirepoix.
2. Add the tomato purée and sauté until caramelized.
3. Add brown stock to the mirepoix, bring it to a boil, and simmer over low heat for about 4-6 hours.
4. Add the diluted arrowroot to the simmering sauce, and continue to cook for another 2 to 3 minutes.
5. Strain the sauce through a sieve. At this point, the sauce is ready for use in other preparations, or it may be cooked and stored for later use.

The following is a recipe from our friend at Cooksrecipe.com. It's a great recipe; however, after trying it out, you will know why you are in need of jus lié. There never is enough of this stuff when you roast meat.

Baked Brisket from www.cooksrecipe.com

4. The Asian Version.
You often find this easy to make sauce accompanying popular dishes such as Beef with Broccoli at your favorite local Chinese hangout. This is a very quick version. It needs to be. Asian cooking is quick and tasty. Asian cooks would not dream of taking all day to make a sauce.

Brown Sauce:

Yield: About 1/3 cup
Ingredient:
3/4 cup meat juice or beef stock
1 Tablespoon, plus 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
1 teaspoon dark soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 Tablespoon cornstarch.

Directions: Combine the ingredients, adding the cornstarch last. Bring to a boil, stirring. Add to your stir fry. Enjoy

5. Market Watch...Going Shopping?
Dairy:
Milk production levels are flat throughout the Midwest. Weather conditions have cooled. Recent reports of higher feed costs for this winter and continued low milk prices are a concern to many in the milk industry. More reports of dairy producers quitting the business are being heard throughout the industry. Overall cheese demand is sluggish for the fall. Mozzarella sales are improving from summer levels but still not up to expectations. Cheese prices should remain stable. After 8 weeks of low market prices on butter, slight increases are occurring. Current churning activity is not able to keep up with demand thus; inventory stocks are being used to fill needs. Demand for butter is slowly increasing. Butter prices should start to drift up in the upcoming months as buyers are preparing for the end of year holidays.

Seafood: Fresh:
Tropical storm Isidore and hurricane Lilli upset the fishing efforts in the Gulf of Mexico and caused rough seas along the eastern seaboard the past few weeks. This causes a smaller supply of local fish to be available at the auction and high prices will persist for at least another week. Flounder prices have nearly doubled in recent weeks and cod and haddock prices are also very high. Scallop prices also continue to climb due to lack of product caused by the restricted number of days the fisherman are allowed at sea. Supply cannot keep up with demand, which is keeping prices high.

Meats:
Beef prices continue to trend downward. Prices will probably find the bottom of this market very soon. Very good value on rib eyes, strips and top rounds. Ground beef prices are also down. Restaurants will be stocking up this week. Look for deals out on the town. Pork Loin prices have leveled off but could go down again. Ham prices will trend upward from now through the holiday season. Chicken Wing prices are down again - unusual for this time of year. This is why we are seeing them at the local happy hours. Breast prices are steady. Lamb Market is steady. Veal Top round prices are down slightly again. Most other cuts are steady.

Produce:
Kiwi is a little hard to the touch right now, but that should get better. Washington state apples are coming in including red and golden delicious and Granny. Need a few more days for the prices to come down to a reasonable level. Strawberries are small due to weather and because it is the end of season for CA, the quality is only fair. Broccoli is a little higher because of a decrease in supplies, and the same goes for cauliflower because of the "yo-yo" weather problems. One the better news side, grapes are great. Great quality for red Crimsons and Thompson seedless. Good size, firm texture and good sugar contents. Prices are even reasonable and there are plenty of them around. Lettuce prices are currently good; however they will rise because demand increases this time of year. So our advise is to go to the seasonal stuff: pumpkins and cranberries. By the way, cranberries freeze very well. I usually purchase a case now to use in the restaurant and a case to toss in the freezer for June.