Espagnole

Highly concentrated meat stock lightly bound with roux, espagnole was, until the mid-twentieth century, the cornerstone of French sauce making. Recipes vary over the centuries, but the use of roux, originally introduced as an alternative to the extravagant braises and sauces of pre-classic French cooking, is common to all of them. Escoffier’s espagnole contains tomatoes (a later addition) and an enormous quantity of meat. Over time, espagnole has been so bastardized and cheapened that contemporary chefs rarely use it.