If you have ever wonder what is Espagnole sauce, here’s the answer. It’s a basic brown sauce, based on a roux. Espagnole is traditionally made from meat stock, a selection of browned vegetables, flour, herbs and sometimes tomato paste. While it is eaten on its own, it usually has various different ingredients added and takes a new name. Espagnole sauce suits game and red meat best and it also goes well with roast venison or roast kangaroo.

If you’re using purchased stock, make sure sauce does not overly reduce or it will become bitter and salty. It makes enough for four 220g servings of beef sirloin. For the time estimation, you’ll need 15 minutes preparation time, 1 hour 10 minutes cooking time and it yields approximately 1 cup.

To start with Espagnole sauce making, you’ll need :

Espagnole Sauce Recipe

2 teaspoons olive oil
900g beef sirloin
2 medium carrots (240g), chopped coarsely
4 shallots (100g), quartered
2 trimmed celery stalks (200g), chopped coarsely
2 teaspoons plain flour
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cups (500ml) beef stock
1 cup (250ml) water

Here’s the step-by-step instructions to step you through.

1. Preheat oven to moderately hot (200°C/180°C fan-forced).
2. Heat oil in large flameproof casserole dish; cook beef, uncovered, over high heat until browned. Place dish in oven; roast, uncovered, about 45 minutes or until beef is cooked as desired.
3. Remove beef from dish; cover to keep warm. Place dish with pan juices over high heat, add carrot, shallot and celery; cook, uncovered, stirring occasionally, about 10 minutes or until vegetables are well-browned. Add flour; cook, stirring, about 4 minutes or until mixture is dark brown. Add paste, stock and the water; bring to a boil. Boil, uncovered, about 10 minutes or until sauce thickens.
4. Strain sauce, discard vegetables. Slice beef; serve with espagnole.

Nutritional Facts per tablespoon :

• 7.7g total fat (3.2g saturated fat);
• 615kJ (147 cal);
• 2.3g carbohydrate;
• 16.6g protein;
• 1g fiber

Do you know that along with Espagnole, other sauces such as béchamel, beurre blanc, velouté and mayonnaise all together make five basic and adaptable “mother” sauce with more than 200 years of French history behind them. Visit Healthy Sauces & Dressings Recipes to get more recipes about homemade sauces, dressings, marinades & condiments.