An exceptional demi-glace is commonly referred to as liquid gold; a culinary masterpiece that elevates any dish to a sublime level of flavour & texture; a harmonious union between two classic French sauces, veal stock & the classic Espagnole in equal parts. The gelatinous qualities of the young veal transcends a demi-glace to levels rarely surpassed in the culinary world resulting in a sauce of exquisite beauty. It is the epitome of French cuisine & a testament to the art of sauce making; a true gastronomic delight.
High expectations indeed but very achievable if you get the first two components right. A demi-glace is a foundation sauce but has the rare distinction of standing in isolation by itself. So many dishes, all derivatives or small sauces rely on the quality of this foundation sauce & as such, it is imperative that you create an exceptional product to complement the dish it will be paired with.
A Classic Demi-Glace
1 bay leaf
3 to 4 sprigs fresh thyme, or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
3 to 4 fresh parsley stems
7 to 8 whole black peppercorns
2 cups brown sauce (Espagnole sauce)
2 cups beef stock
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
A demi-glace is a rich, brown sauce based in French cuisine that is either used on its own or as a foundation for other sauces. It’s not a gravy or stock, although the latter is used to make demi-glace. There are quite a few steps involved with making demi-glace, & it’s best if you emulate the classical French chefs & follow the traditional method in order to achieve its deep flavour & shiny finish.
This means you’ll need to plan to do a lot of simmering, reducing, & straining, which may not be difficult, but it is time-consuming. What’s great about this process, however, is that you don’t need to do all of the steps at once. You can make the stock a few days or a week in advance if you like, or even longer if you freeze it. And preparing the Espagnole sauce beforehand, one of the French mother sauces, will also make this preparation seem less daunting.
This recipe doesn’t call for you to season the finished demi-glace. This way, you can use it to make another sauce, which you would season during that cooking process. But if you’re serving the demi-glace as a finished sauce, go ahead & season it to taste with kosher salt & freshly ground black pepper at the very end.
Place the bay leaf, thyme, parsley stems, & peppercorns in a square of cheesecloth. & tie the corners with a piece of kitchen twine. Leave one string long enough so that you can tie it to the handle of your pot to make it easier to retrieve.
You can make demi-glace with chicken stock instead of beef stock. As a matter of fact, the original demi-glace, which was called demi-Espagnole, was made using white stock (veal or chicken) in place of brown.
Tie the corners together with a piece of kitchen twine to make a spice sachet. Leave one string long enough so that you can tie it to the handle of your pot to make it easier to retrieve.
Combine the brown sauce & the beef stock in a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then lower heat to a simmer.
Add the cheesecloth spice bundle, tying the string to the pot handle. Reduce the liquid until the total volume has reduced by half, about 45 minutes.
Spice sachet added to the pot
The Spruce Eats / Cara Cormack
Remove pan from heat, retrieve & discard the sachet.
Carefully pour the demi-glace through a mesh strainer lined with a piece of cheesecloth. Season to taste with salt & pepper. Serve as is or use to make another sauce.
How to Prepare a Chicken Stock
Ingredient
3.6kg) chicken wings, bones, breasts, & legs
4 quarts (3.8L) water
2 large yellow onions, diced
4 large carrots, diced
4 large celery ribs, diced
8 crushed medium cloves garlic
2 large sprigs parsley (see note)
2 packets unflavoured gelatin
Method
Combine chicken, water, onions, carrots, celery, garlic, & parsley in a large stockpot & bring to a simmer over low heat. Lower heat, maintaining a very gentle simmer, & cook for 1 hour 30 minutes. Strain stock through a fine-mesh strainer, let cool, then transfer to containers & refrigerate until completely chilled, about 6 hours.
Skim off & remove any fat & scum on the surface. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months. If stock is thin even after being fully refrigerated, add optional gelatine solution to stock & bring to a boil until fully dissolved, then refrigerate or freeze.
How to Prepare a Veal Stock
Ingredient
• 3.175kgs veal bones cut into 2 or 3-inch pieces
• 1 can tomato paste
• 1 cup celery chopped
• 1 cup carrot chopped
• 2 cups onion chopped
• 1 cup red wine for deglazing
• 1 tablespoon peppercorns
• 4 bay leaves
• 3 sprigs thyme
• cold water
It’s time to learn one of the fundamental skills & technique which almost every other aspect of French cuisine rests: stock making.
The French were experts in procuring every bit of flavour from the leftover bones of the pigs, cows & chickens they were using for creating incredible meals. No bones were discarded but instead used for making classic French stocks used in stocks, sauces, soups & stews.
Stock has gained quite a lot of mystique over the years. Many people are under the impression that stocks are difficult to make. This is not the case. Yes, they are time consuming, but only for the stove. Many stocks are born in the wee hours of the night: the last cook out the door makes sure that the liquid is at a perfect, very slow simmer, & then the stock is left to itself until the next day.
A stock is based on bones. A broth (bouillon, in French) is based on meat. While a broth can be very flavorful, a stock delivers a rich mouthfeel courtesy of the gelatin that is slowly extracted from the bones.
Along with depth of flavor, it is the extraction of gelatin that is the goal of stock making. Rule number one: don’t rush it.
For veal stock, take the time to brown the bones & roast the vegetables. Bring the temperature up slowly; never let it boil; skim diligently, & you will be rewarded with a wonderful stock.
Culinary students get a lot of training making veal stock, since the milder flavor of veal marries with a wider variety of foods, but it is much easier for a home cook to find beef bones, so you may want to try your hand at beef stock. The ingredient list & procedure are identical, regardless.
Making your own veal stock for soup might seem like growing your own wheat to make bread, but the depth of flavor afforded by using a homemade stock cannot be denied. You will be able to tell the difference.
And while, for day to day cooking, you can probably get away with using low sodium canned veal broth, do yourself a favor & treat yourself to making homemade stock. We live in a fast-paced world, & making stock gives you the perfect opportunity to slow down & connect with food on a level that we don’t often have time for.
Method
Preheat oven to 220°C.
Spread bones in a roasting pan & roast for about 30 minutes, turning once. Remove from the oven, & paint a thin layer of tomato paste over the bones. Put the vegetables on top of the bones, & roast an additional 15-20 minutes, until the vegetables begin to caramelize.
Remove the bones & vegetables to a large stock pot.
Deglaze the roasting pan with wine or water, & pour this into the stock pot.
Add peppercorns, bay leaves & thyme. Cover the bones with cold water.
Over medium heat, slowly bring the bones up to a very gentle simmer. Don’t let the stock boil.
Adjust the temperature to maintain a gentle simmer. Every thirty minutes or so, skim off any impurities that rise to the top of the pot.
Let the stock simmer gently for at least 8 to 12 hours. Add a little more water & lower the heat if you are getting too much evaporation.
When the stock is done, remove the bones & discard. Strain through a very fine mesh strainer or through a colander lined with three or four layers of cheesecloth.
Chill quickly, then refrigerate. Skim off the fat from that has solidified on top, & discard.
Espagnole Sauce
Ingredient
vegetable oil
3kg veal bones, chopped into pieces
2 onions, finely sliced
1 carrot, finely sliced
1 leek, finely sliced
1 celery stalk, finely sliced
1 garlic bulb, halved horizontally
50g of tomato purée
300ml of red wine, although you can also use white wine or brandy if you prefer
1 bunch of thyme
3 bay leaves
1 tsp black peppercorns
1 pig’s trotter – this gives the stock extra body
1 sheet of kombu, (optional) – this gives the stock even more umami
Method
Preheat the oven to 200°C
Start by massaging the bones with a little oil & roasting in the hot oven for about an hour. The bones should have turned a deep golden brown – don’t be too afraid of burning them as the darker the colour, the deeper the flavour, so a little bit of charring is fine
In a large stockpot, pour in a good glug of oil & add your onions, celery, leek, carrot & garlic (cut-side down). Sweat down until nicely caramelised, about 15 minutes
Once the vegetables are nicely caramelised, add the herbs & spices, stir in the tomato purée & cook out for a further 5 minutes
Add the roasted bones to the pot & deglaze the roasting tray with some of the wine. Scrape all the flavour from the bottom of the pan using a wooden spoon or spatula. Pour the delicious juices into the stock pot & add the rest of the wine. Bring to a simmer
When the wine has reduced by three-quarters, top up the pan with cold water, just enough to cover the bones. As a rule of thumb, you will need roughly the same weight of water as bones – just ensure the bones are completely submerged in liquid
If you’re using them, add the pig’s trotter &/or the sheet of kombu
Bring the stock to the boil, skim off the scum with a ladle & turn down the heat to a low simmer. Simmer away for 4–6 hours, regularly skimming the rising impurities from the top. It is important to slowly simmer & not rapidly boil, as you need the time to build up flavour
Strain the liquid through a muslin cloth or fine sieve, then transfer to a storage container & chill down as quickly as possible. Alternatively, return to the pan & reduce down further to create a thicker, glossier sauce known as demi-glace, which is good for gravies or using as a concentrated stock
How to use brown veal stock in cooking: Veal stock is rarely used in home kitchens & is mainly known for its use in classical French sauces. However, it really is worth making if you have the time & access to veal bones, as it transforms things like stews & sauces thanks to its incredibly intense flavour. The high gelatine content in veal bones gives the stock a lot of body, meaning you don’t have to use alternative thickening agents such as a roux or cornflour.
Espagnole is one of the French ‘mother sauces’ & is made from brown veal stock. It is the base for many of the French classic sauces such as sauce au poivre (peppercorn sauce), Bordelaise sauce & chasseur sauce.
Cooking with your stainless steel pan is a great way to make a flavourful entree, whether you’re cooking
steak, pork loin, chicken, fish or another protein. But if you’re flipping the meat from the pan to your plate without a second thought about all those fatty, slightly burnt bits stuck to the bottom, you’re seriously missing out.
If you’ve ever tried to scrub that stuff off the bottom of the pan, you know it’s a pain. Luckily, as online culinary students soon find out, you can make this chore easier & your dish more flavourful by taking advantage of those remnants.
But first, let’s define that leftover layer: It’s called “fond” or “sucs,” Reluctant Gourmet explained.
Both names come from French words; “fond” translates to “base” or “foundation” in English – as in, this is the foundation of your amazing pan sauce. “Sucs” is short for the French word “sucre” which means sugar; those browned pieces stuck to the pan are caramelized sugars, proteins & fats.
Now that you’re all caught up on the vocabulary, here’s what you need for a delicious pan sauce:
1. Fat
Your fond should include about a tablespoon of fat. If there isn’t a lot of liquid left over, add some oil to make up the difference. If you have more than a tablespoon, drain off some of the excess liquid. Don’t lose those browned bits, though – that’s where your flavour is.
2. Aromatics
Now it’s time to add the aromatics. Garlic & shallots are popular options, as they tend to go with just about any protein. Throw in some herbs as well – rosemary & thyme are excellent selections, Epicurious suggested.
Pan sauces often include herbs like thyme or rosemary. Aromatics like thyme & garlic are excellent additions to any pan sauce.
Feel free to stray from the typical garlic & rosemary if other flavours would suit your dish better. This is the time to deepen the flavour & tie in other ingredients. Drop in some chutney, whole-grain mustard or mushrooms for a more complex pan sauce.
Stir the sauce until the vegetables & herbs are soft & you can smell the spices.
3. Liquid
Once the aromatics are ready, you can add liquid to begin the deglazing process (this is the part that makes clean-up easier). Deglazing usually includes wine, though you can opt for juice, stock or cider if you prefer alcohol-free cooking. If you have no qualms about alcohol but simply don’t have wine on hand, brandy or fortified wines would work as well. It’s common to choose two of these liquids – typically wine & broth.
Add about a half-cup of whichever liquid you choose, then let simmer for around five minutes or until the sauce is reduced by about half. Use a wooden spoon to scrape the bottom of the pan. The acidity of the wine, plus the heated liquid, will help remove the fond from the pan & incorporate that flavour into the sauce.
4. More fat
At this point, it’s time to make your pan sauce into a creamy, wondrous topping for your meal. Whisk in butter or cream. A few teaspoons should be enough.
5. Thickener
This step is completely optional, & if you have a fairly thick sauce already, feel free to skip it. You can also skip it if you prefer your sauces to be thinner.
To thicken your sauce just a little bit more & add more creaminess, dissolve cornstarch in water, then add it to the pan. Dissolving the cornstarch in water first helps it evenly disperse throughout your sauce & prevents clumping. Let the sauce simmer for about 30 seconds.
Once your sauce is the perfect flavour & consistency, spoon it over your protein & dig in – you’ve earned it.
Filet au poivre
Ingredient
500g of beef fillet, cut into 2 x 250g steaks
2 tbsp of clarified butter
50g of unsalted butter
50ml of cognac
100ml of brown veal stock
75g of black peppercorns, whole
75g of white peppercorns, whole
Method
To prepare the cracked pepper for the steaks, add the peppercorns to a blender & blitz for 15-30 seconds, until they have broken into coarse pieces – there should be quite a lot of dust, but no whole peppercorns
Tip the mix into a sieve, shake over a bowl & work with your fingers to remove all of the dust. Throw away the dust & transfer the cracked pepper to an airtight jar. This mix should be made well in advance of cooking the steaks, as the resulting pepper will be quite strong
Once ready to cook, Preheat the oven to 100° measure out 3 tsp of the cracked black pepper & place in a bowl. Place the steaks onto a dish & firmly press the pepper onto the top cut-side of each steak, pressing with the heel of your hand to push in. Season with salt & set aside
Add the clarified butter to a frying pan & place over a high heat. Add the steaks to the pan, pepper-side down, & cook quickly until caramelised & brown – this should take approximately 3-5 minute.
Turn over the steaks, cook for 1 more minute & drain the clarified butter from the pan. Add the regular butter, reduce the heat to medium & let the butter foam until it reaches a gentle hazelnut colour.
Use the butter to baste the meat regularly – if it appears to be getting too dark, simply reduce the heat. Continue to cook, while basting, for 3-4 minutes
Add the cognac, cook off the alcohol then pour in the stock. Remove the steaks from the pan then bring the sauce to the boil, add the remaining butter & reduce to the consistency of syrup
While the sauce reduces, transfer the steaks to a dish & place in the oven to rest for at least 10 minutes. Once rested, place the steaks on warm plates & pour the juices that have seeped out during resting into the pan with the sauce. Taste for seasoning, then spoon the sauce over the steaks. Serve immediately
Marchand de Vin Sauce (Red Wine Reduction)
Ingredient
½ cup red wine
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
2 cups demi-glace
Kosher salt, to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
While there are a great many techniques that make French cuisine what it is, one of the most important components is sauces. There are the five core mother sauces, as well as small sauces, which can be made from those. And once you’ve mastered how to adapt these sauces to different recipes, it’s at that point that you will then be ready for more delicate & nuanced reductions, like the marchand de vin sauce.
Marchand de vin is a classic French sauce that has been a staple in the culinary world for centuries. This rich & flavourful sauce is made from a combination of wine, shallots, & spices, & it is often used to enhance the taste & texture of a range of dishes. Whether you’re a seasoned chef or a home cook looking to add some extra flair to your meals, understanding the history, ingredients, & techniques behind this delicious sauce is essential.
How marchand de vin was created: The history of marchand de vin, which translates to “wine merchant,” can be traced back to the 17th century. The sauce was first used as a way to add depth & richness to meat dishes & traditionally made with the abundantly available red wine, which was reduced with shallots, demi-glace, & a complex melange of spices. Peppercorns, salt, parsley, thyme, & bay leaves are commonly seen in the sauce, & when combined, achieve a perfect balance of flavours — savory & mildly piquant. And the sauce is almost always finished with butter to give it a warmer, richer quality.
But over the centuries, the recipe for marchand de vin has evolved. With time, chefs added new ingredients & techniques to create their own unique interpretations of the classic sauce. Today, marchand de vin is widely used to complement a wide range of dishes, from steak to roasted chicken.
Ingredient
1. In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine wine & shallots. Heat until liquid boils, lower heat a bit & continue simmering until liquid has reduced by three-fourths.
2. Add demi-glace, then lower heat to a simmer, & reduce for about 5 minutes.
3. Strain through a mesh strainer. Season to taste with kosher salt & black pepper.
The technique for making marchand de vin sauce is simple, but it requires patience & attention to detail. First, the shallots should be chopped finely, & the butter should be melted in a saucepan over low heat. The thyme, bay leaves, & spices are then added to the saucepan, & the mixture is cooked until the shallots are soft & fragrant (around 10 minutes). Next, the red wine & demi-glace are poured in & simmered until it has reduced by about half. The sauce should then be strained through a fine sieve to remove any solids, & the final sauce should be smooth & thick. The entire process can take anywhere from 20-30 minutes, depending on the heat level & the size of the pan.
Use Marchand de Vin for these dishes: Marchand de Vin is incredibly versatile, & can be used in a variety of dishes to enhance the flavour & texture. One of the most popular uses for this sauce is as a companion to steak, where it provides a rich & flavourful contrast to the juicy & tender meat. It can also be used to complement roasted chicken or game meats, adding depth to the dish. Marchand de Vin sauce can also be used as a base for other sauces, such as béarnaise or hollandaise, or it can be used to add flavour to stews, soups, & casseroles.
Just as the Spanish adapted the French sauce for Louis XIII to make it more flavourful, this complex & rich sauce can level-up many dishes & impress almost any dinner guest. So, whether you’re a green or seasoned cook, you should now be better equipped to make the most of this wonderful French sauce.
Robert Sauce
Ingredient
Method
Charcutière Sauce
Chasseur Sauce
Ingredient
250gms mushrooms, sliced
kosher salt, pinch
50mls dry white wine
freshly ground black peppercorns, pinch
1 tablespoon butter
1 onion, cut brunoise
2 cloves garlic, minced
200mls demi-glace
50mls dry white wine
1 cup canned crushed tomatoes, drained
¼ teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Method
In a large, deep frying pan, add the butter to the pan & reduce the heat to moderately low. Add the mushrooms & cook, stirring occasionally to extract as much water from the mushrooms as possible.
Dry roast in the fry pan on a slow heat for 8-10 minutes, add 50mls white wine & simmer until all has completely evaporated. Add a little butter, onions & cook until translucent & fragrant, add garlic & season with salt & pepper.
Add the demi-glace & bring up to a simmer, stir in the white wine & crushed tomatoes & fresh thyme & reduce sauce to a consistency where it naps the back of a spoon. Adjust seasoning & serve immediately.
Mushroom Sauce
Madeira Sauce
Lyonnaise Sauce
Port Wine Sauce
Bercy Sauce
