Brown Sauces

There is only one basic brown sauce - sauce espagnole - and it is the foundation for many other famous French sauces. But there is nothing basic about this divinity among sauces. A good brown sauce depends entirely upon its ingredients. It can be only as good as the beef stock that went into it. No short cuts here; no beef stock cubes or canned consommés. You must use the best stock you can make from quality beef and the added savour of onions, carrots, turnips, herbs and tomatoes. As this sauce keeps very well, make it by the quart and store it in the refrigerator in a covered jar for future use. Espagnole Sauce, or Basic Brown Sauce, will keep indefinitely in the refrigerator if it is boiled up again once a week, and returned to the refrigerator in a clean jar.