In my last post on how to make demi-glace, I decided to continue my trip back to the basics by creating a meal around this lovely sauce. I also am going back to the master for inspiraton, Auguste Escoffier for Sauce Robert. In his book, The Complete Guide to the Art of Modern Cookery, on page 15 he describes the process for making this sauce as:
“Heat 75 g (2 ½ oz) butter in a pan, add 300 g (11 oz) finely chopped onion and cook without colour. Moisten with 4 dl (14 oz or 1 ¾ cups) white wine and reduce by two thirds. Add 6 dl (1 pt or 2 5/8 cups) Sauce Demi-Glace and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
Pass the sauce through a fine strainer and finish away from the heat with a pinch of sugar and 2 tsp of English mustard diluted with a little water. The sauce is usually served to accompany grilled pork.”
For the version I am working on today I am using filet mignon and the ingredients are:
4 beef filets, approximately 4-6 ounces
2-3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large shallot, finely minced
1 garlic clove, finely minced
½ cup red wine
1 cup Sauce Demi-Glace
1 tablespoon of creole mustard
1 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste
Season the beef filets with salt and freshly cracked black pepper. Heat a saute pan on medium heat until the oil is hot, but not smoking. Gently add the filets making sure that there is room in between each one. Make sure each filet is properly seared before turning over and then sear the other side. Remove the beef from the pan and reserve to the side.
Add the shallot and garlic to the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes.
Deglaze with the red wine and loosten any bits that are on the bottom of the saute pan.
Reduce the wine by half and then add the Sauce Demi-Glace. Heat the sauce just up to a boil and then reduce to a simmer and reduce the sauce until it has a nappe consistency. For the definition of nappe please refer to my last blog article. Add the creole mustard and just heat through. Pass the sauce through a fine mesh strainer and return to the pan.
Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper and add finish with the butter gently swirled into the sauce until completely combined.
I served this sauce with this meal:
Sauce making can be intimidating for home cooks, but as I've demonstrated with my Back to Basics blog series, it doesn't have to be. Read all of my articles which give you a step-by-step guide on how to make brown stock and transform it into many different sauces.
If you want to become more proficient in sauce making, we have a Sauce Boot Camp coming up at The Chopping Block in May. We also spend a day on Soups and Sauces in our Culinary Boot Camp.