CookEat Recipe
Bordelaise Sauce
A claret and shallot sauce with demi-glace, tomato sauce and poached beef marrow.
Method
Steps
Step 1
Preheat a conventional oven to 400°F. Put the ten quarts cold water in a very large stockpot with ample headroom and begin heating. Have a butcher clean and cut the two fresh raw white calf feet into small pieces. Put them in a roasting pan with the half pound raw ham cut into pieces, one pound veal bones, two carrots, two onions and two leeks, all sliced, the three branches parsley root and one celery branch, sliced. Add the ten cloves, four bay leaves, twenty whole allspice berries, two tablespoons whole black peppercorns, one teaspoon thyme and one and a half tablespoons salt. Spread about four tablespoons rendered pork lard over the vegetables and roast until the bones, meat and vegetables are golden, without burning.
Step 2
Transfer the complete roasted mixture to the stockpot and add the one pint canned tomatoes. Bring slowly to a boil and cook for thirty minutes. Cover, lower the heat and keep at a gentle simmer until the liquid has reduced by half. Before proceeding, check that the meat on the feet and the ham have each reached at least 70°C for two minutes, probing away from bone.
Step 3
In a second very large saucepan, heat the three ounces butter, stir in the six tablespoons flour and cook for twenty minutes, stirring regularly, until the roux is thoroughly brown. Carefully pour the hot stock mixture into the roux, mixing well. Keep at a very gentle simmer for twelve hours, stirring regularly and adjusting the heat to prevent catching.
Step 4
Mix in the half pint sherry, then strain through a clean fine conical strainer into clean heat-safe containers, removing all bones and aromatics. Measure one gill of the actual finished demi-glace for this sauce. Loosen that measured portion with a little hot ready-to-use unsalted veal broth until somewhat fluid, and keep all of it hot for immediate use. Rapidly cool the remaining demi-glace in shallow containers and refrigerate at 40°F or below within two hours; use within forty-eight hours or freeze.
Step 5
For the tomato sauce, dice the four ounces lean raw ham, slice two carrots and two onions, and chop one leek, two parsley branches, one celery branch, one green pepper and one garlic clove. Melt two ounces butter in a large saucepan. Add the ham and these vegetables with two cloves, one teaspoon whole peppercorns, half a bay-leaf sprig, half a thyme sprig, one tablespoon salt and one light tablespoon icing sugar. Cook over brisk heat for about twelve minutes, stirring, until lightly browned.
Step 6
Stir the four tablespoons flour into the sauce pan and cook for five minutes. Add the two quarts fresh ripe red tomatoes cut into quarters and one quart cold water. Mix, cover and simmer very gently for one and a half hours, stirring occasionally. The diced ham must be thoroughly cooked; check that its centre reaches 70°C for two minutes.
Step 7
Press the sauce through a sieve and then strain through clean food-safe cheesecloth. Measure half a gill of the actual finished tomato sauce and keep it hot for immediate use. Divide the unused sauce into small shallow containers, cool rapidly and refrigerate at 40°F or colder within two hours; freeze for longer storage.
Step 8
Have a butcher open one good-sized fresh beef marrow bone so all its marrow can be lifted out while cold. Keep refrigerated at 40°F or below until needed. Remove all the marrow, check carefully for bone fragments and cut it into thin slices.
Step 9
Finely chop the six small peeled shallots. Put them in a small saucepan with the one gill claret and reduce over heat to half the actual starting liquid. Add the measured half gill hot tomato sauce, all the hot loosened one-gill demi-glace portion, one light saltspoon salt and a very little cayenne pepper. Boil very gently for eight minutes.
Step 10
While the sauce simmers, bring the separate half pint water to a boil with the separate half teaspoon salt. Gently add all the thin marrow slices, remove the pan from the heat and let stand for five minutes. Check the marrow with a fine-tip food thermometer; if necessary, return to gentle heat and continue until the centres of the slices have reached at least 70°C for two minutes. Lift out with a skimmer and drain thoroughly.
Step 11
Move the sauce pan off direct heat and mix in the separate half ounce butter a little at a time until completely dissolved. Add all the thoroughly drained cooked marrow, mix gently and serve promptly.
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