Famous Recipes - Quick Brown Sauce

Quick Brown Sauce

1 Tbs (15 ml) vegetable oil 6 Tbs (90 ml) butter 2 large red onions, finely chopped 2 Tbs (30 ml) sugar 1 cup (250 ml) dry red wine 6 cups (1.5 L) beef stock 1/2 oz (14 g) dried mushrooms, pulverized in a blender or spice grinder 1/2 tsp (2 ml) dried thyme 1/4 cup (60 ml) all-purpose flour Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the vegetable oil and half the butter in a large heavy skillet over high heat and saute the onion until well browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in the sugar and cook until the sugar is dark brown and begins to smell burned. Stir in the red wine, beef stock, mushroom powder, and thyme. Bring to a boil and cook for 3 to 4 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh strainer and set aside. Heat the remaining butter in the same skillet over moderate heat and stir in the flour. Cook, stirring frequently, until medium brown - about the color of a paper shopping bag. Add the strained stock back to the skillet, stirring to dissolve the flour mixture. Bring to a boil and cook, stirring frequently, until it's the consistency of heavy cream, about 8 minutes. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and strain again if desired. Makes about 4 cups (1 L).

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