Espagnole is a classic brown sauce, typically made from brown stock, mirepoix, and tomato product, and thickened with roux. This is one of the five mother sauces.
Espagnole sauce
1 carrot, coarsely chopped
1 medium onion
1 celery rib coarsely chopped
3/4 stick of unsalted butter
1/2  cup all purpose flour
4 cups of hot beef stock
¼ cup canned tomato paste
2 large [...]

Braising
Once you understand a few simple principles it’s easy to create braises as elegant and flavorful as those you find in great restaurants.
As a technique, braising couldn’t be simpler. You just brown whatever it is you’re going to braise (in oil or butter), add liquids like wine, stock or even cider or Armagnac, cover, and [...]

I made Italian style meatballs the other night. When I was browning them off in olive oil, and the house filled with this great aroma. All these memories came rushing back to me when my mother use to make meatballs. Browning them off in her cast iron skillet. We (my brothers and sisters) would sneak [...]

This is a recipe I used back in the 80’s, to put on top of a Fillet Mignon. Nice creamy texture with lots of flavor.
You can also put one in the center of a salad.
Blue cheese flan
1/4cup – Butter
1/2lb. – Blue cheese crumbled
2lbs. – Cream cheese softened
6ea. – Eggs
2ea. – Egg yolks
2 3/4cups – sour [...]