2 slices bacon, chopped, or a small quantity of uncooked ham
1 slice onion
6 slices carrot
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs thyme
1 sprig parsley
2 cloves, whole
0.5 teaspoon (2.5 ml) peppercorns
1 Few gratings nutmeg
3 tablespoons (24 g) flour
0.5 can (about 7 oz / 200 g) tomatoes
1 cups (300 ml) Brown Stock
1 Salt and pepper, to taste
0.5 can (about 4 oz / 115 g) mushrooms, drained, rinsed, and quartered
Instructions
1. In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, cook the chopped bacon (or ham), onion, and carrot for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the bacon has rendered some fat and the vegetables have softened slightly.
2. Add the bay leaf, thyme, parsley, whole cloves, peppercorns, nutmeg, and tomatoes. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the tomatoes are heated through and beginning to break down.
3. Bloom the flour (technique: whisk the flour with just enough cold water to form a thin, pourable slurry, eliminating lumps before adding to the hot pan). Stir this slurry into the pan. As the mixture thickens — 2 to 3 minutes — gradually whisk in the Brown Stock, adding it in a slow stream to maintain a smooth consistency (technique: this is a form of tempering, gradually incorporating liquid to prevent lumps).
4. Cover the saucepan and transfer to an oven heated to 350°F (175°C). Cook for 55 to 65 minutes, until the sauce is deep red-brown, noticeably reduced, and coats the back of a spoon.
5. Remove from the oven and strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing the solids to extract liquid. Discard the solids.
6. Return the strained sauce to the saucepan over medium-low heat. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the drained, rinsed, quartered mushrooms and cook for 2 minutes, until the mushrooms are heated through and just tender. Serve immediately.
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