another magical day in the kitchen

A friend of mine from high school asked me what my favorite thing was about cooking. I couldn't answer him at the time but after some thought I realized there was one thing I really loved: the transformation. The way onions go from snow white, firm, and bitter to golden brown, limp, and sweet never ceases to impress me. I love transformations.

Tonight was one of those nights where the transformations were just beautiful to behold. We made Espagnole sauce and Jus de Veau Lie. Espagnole sauce started by heating clarified butter and then browning carrots, onions, and celery. Once the mirepoix was browned, tomato paste was added and cooked so that it would turn from bright red to brick red. Then brown veal stock was added and the mixture was thickened with a brown roux. Now let me tell you something about this brown roux, it was just a combination of flour (60%) and clarified butter (40%) that had been cooked until it turned dark, dark brown and smelled like toffee. It smelled sooooooooooo good. It was just like my mom's toffee. I had another one of those crazy smiles on my face as I scooped out globs of this thick brown paste into a cup because it smelled like our annual Cousins' Christmas Cookie Baking Day when we get so lost in conversation that we forget about the cookies and let one tray go too long in the oven. Flour and butter make lovely smells together! So then the Espagnole sauce is simmered to let the roux come to its full potential. At the same time I was also making a Jus de Veau Lie which started with hot clarified butter and chunks of veal meat. The meat was browned in the pan and then removed. Carrots, onions, and celery were added to the pan and browned and then tomato paste was added just like with the Espagnole sauce. But then the pan was heated up really hot and red wine was poured in to deglaze the pan and get all the little pieces of meat/veg/tomato paste that were sticking to the bottom and sides off and into the liquid. Not only did the wine smell amazing-- like fresh picked berries-- but the messy brown pieces of food that were stuck all over the pan were now sliding effortlessly into a beautiful rich purple red sauce. Brown veal stock was then added and the sauce was simmered until the meat was tender (and delicious!) and then a slurry of cold water, arrowroot, and potato starch was added to thicken the sauce. Finally, the sauces were strained to remove the vegetables and meat.