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12. The remaining substance is concentrated Essence de Tomate.
Puree de Tomate (Tomato Puree)
Purée de Tomate as described in the recipes of this book has nothing in common with tomato puree or tomato paste that you will find in grocery stores, even if they bear the same name. The recipe given below demonstrates what is meant by Purée de Tomate. Commercial tomato puree or tomato paste might possibly be used to prepare brown sauces. Never add it to round off a sauce that has already been prepared because it would be too concentrated (and too crude in taste).
Ingredients for 1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups)
1500 g (3 1/2 lb) tomatoes, peeled and cored, cut in cubes
100 ml (3 1/2 fl oz or 1/2 U.S. cups) water
spices: salt, 2 g (1/2 tsp)/l
Preparation
Bring water to the boil, add tomatoes and bring to the boil slowly while stirring constantly. Reduce tomatoes over low heat until just about a maximum of 1 l (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) is left. Puree in a blender and pass through cheesecloth with wooden spatula. Possibly reduce to the desired texture on heat.
Glace de Viande Brune – Meat Glaze
Glace de Viande Brune is based upon Fond de Veau Brun. Glaze is strongly reduced stock. Its preparation is always the same, be it for Glace de Viande Blonde or Brune, Glace de Poisson or Glace de Volaille. The reduction process not only includes the condensation of aromas, but also of the gelatinous substances, which is why glazes that have cooled down are rather solid in texture.
1. Bring the Fond de Veau Brun to the boil. Skim and degrease frequently while reducing the stock to 1/4 of its original volume. Depending on taste, it can be reduced to 1/10.
2. Pass the Glace de Viande Brune thus produced through a very fine sieve.
3. Return to the pot and bring to the boil once again.
4. Pour Glace for example into a preserving jar.
5. Close jar and store in refrigerator.
6. That way, Glace de Viande can be stored in portions and used when needed.
1. Bring the Fond de Veau Brun to the boil. Skim and degrease frequently while reducing the stock to 1/4 of its original volume. Depending on taste, it can be reduced to 1/10.
2. Pass the Glace de Viande Brune thus produced through a very fine sieve.
3. Return to the pot and bring to the boil once again.
4. Pour Glace for example into a preserving jar.
5. Close jar and store in refrigerator.
6. That way, Glace de Viande can be stored in portions and used when needed.
THICKENING AGENTS
Thickening agents have three functions to improve consistency (depending on the thickening agent). Their first task is to bind and thicken liquids, as the name suggests. Their second task is to round off the sauce’s taste. Their third task is to make the sauce smoother and creamier.
Farine (Flour)
Thickening sauces simply by flour can have the following reasons: 1. Re-thickening a sauce that is not sufficiently thick. 2. Reducing the energy content of a sauce by not using fat as a thickener. Thickening sauces simply by flour does not require any additional butter or fat (as is usually the case in a Roux). The following methods apply: a) for dark sauces: Mix flour with a little tomato puree and red wine until reaching a liquid consistency, b) for white sauces: mix flour with milk until reaching a liquid consistency, c) for all other white sauces: mix flour with water or, according to taste, with white wine until reaching a liquid consistency. In any case, pass through a sieve and add to gently boiling liquid, stirring the sauce vigorously until the desired consistency is reached. Important to note: Continue to gently boil sauce thickened with flour for at least 10 minutes, stirring it frequently so that the starch granules swell and the optimum thickening degree is reached without affecting the taste.
Roux
Sweating flour in fat has two advantages: 1. Starch turns into dextrin and thus loses its floury taste. 2. Flour is bound by fat as a “transportation vehicle” and dissolves more easily in the liquid / sauce. We differentiate between white and brown Roux. The thickening ratio for 1 litre of liquid / sauce: 40 g (1 1/3 oz) of butter or fat (coconut fat, margarine etc.) and 50 g (2 oz) of flour. a) White Roux for all white sauces: Slowly heat fat, and gently cook flour for one to two minutes over low heat. b) Brown Roux for all brown sauces: Slowly heat fat and gently roast and brown flour for approximately 30 minutes over low heat. In both cases: Add the warm liquid / sauce to the Roux which is still hot, bring to the boil, frequently stirring the sauce or alternatively place cooled down Roux in hot liquid / sauce and dissolve, stirring frequently. It is recommended to add hot liquid to cold Roux. Reason: The sauce boils up more quickly and the risk of burning is thus reduced.
Roux Clair
1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.
2. Add flour and mix with butter.
3. Gently sweat flour for a maximum of 2 minutes without browning it.
1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.
2. Add flour and mix with butter.
3. Gently sweat flour for a maximum of 2 minutes without browning it.
Roux Brun
1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.
2. Add flour and mix with butter, stirring constantly.
3. Slowly increase temperature until reaching desired colour (resembling hazel colour).
1. Melt butter and heat it without browning it.
2. Add flour and mix with butter, stirring constantly.
3. Slowly increase temperature until reaching desired colour (resembling hazel colour).
Beurre Manié (Kneaded Butter)
Beurre Manié is in particular used when re-thickening sauces. The thickening ratio for 1 litre (1 3/4 pt or 4 1/2 U.S. cups) of liquid / sauce (Fond de Veau Brun or Blanc (Brown or White Veal Stock)): 50 g (2 oz) of butter (you may also use other fats, like coconut fat, margarine etc.) and 50 g (2 oz) of flour. Knead together butter and flour. Add Beurre Manié to hot, yet not boiling Sauce and dissolve, stirring constantly. Continue to gently