Tricks for Enhancing Brown Sauces

It often happens that a cook will have labored over a sauce only to find that it lacks vitality and tastes flat. To liven up a brown sauce without changing its identity make sure it has enough salt, and then add a few drops of wine vinegar and 1 to 2 teaspoons cognac. To freshen it, add 1 or 2 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley or chervil and simmer for 30 seconds. Adding 1 tablespoon butter that has been stored overnight in a jar with a truffle will do wonders, as will 1 to 2 teaspoons Foie Gras Butter whisked in the last minute.