Brown Sauce

This quick sauce is perfect for meats but also an essential component to gravy.

3 T unsalted butter
3 T chopped shallots
1 c red wine
10 oz beef broth – not consommé
Spring of fresh thyme

3 T unsalted butter
3 T flour
1 T cognac
1 tsp lemon juice

In a small pan melt the butter over low heat and sauté the shallots until they are tender but not browned. Add the thyme, the wine and broth and bring to a boil over medium high heat and let them reduced by half.

In a small bowl mix together the flit and butter until you have a soft paste. Thus is called beurre manie. Set it aside for later.

Strain the wine/broth into a bowl and press on the solids, discard solids. Wipe out the pan and return the liquid to it (or strain into a clean pan) and bring it back to a simmer. Use a whisk and whisk in small balls of the beurre manie (butter flour-paste) into the boiling broth. Keep adding a little at a time until the sauce it thick, most of the beurre manie will be used.

Add the cognac and the lemon juice, taste for salt and pepper and adjust if needed.

Use as is or save for using in the turkey giblet gravy.

Variations:
Add green peppercorns for a steak sauce.

Add sautéed mushrooms.

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