British Red Sauce Recipes

ONION GRAVY FOR BRITISH BANGERS AND MASH

Steps:

• Melt butter in a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in the melted butter until softened, about 10 minutes.
• Reduce heat to low. Cover the pan and cook until onions are caramelized, stirring occasionally, about 20 minutes.
• Stir flour into the caramelized onions and cook for 1 minute.
• Pour red wine, chicken stock (see Editor's Note), Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce into the onion mixture; simmer until sauce is thickened, stirring frequently, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper.

HOMEMADE ITALIAN RED SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Saute onion and garlic in hot oil until onion is translucent, 5 to 7 minutes.
• Reduce heat to medium-low. Add water, crushed tomatoes, tomato paste, basil, baking soda, and sugar; season with salt and pepper. Stir mixture, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce is thickened, about 2 hours.

HOMEMADE BROWN SAUCE

Steps:

• Put all the ingredients in a large saucepan with 150ml cold water and 1 tsp salt. Cover the surface with baking parchment. Simmer over a low heat for 50 mins until the fruit softens. Cool for 30 mins.
• Transfer to a blender and blend, then decant into containers while warm. Seal and store in the fridge. Will keep for up to 2 months.

TRADITIONAL BREAD SAUCE

Steps:

• Pop the onion in a pan with the milk, cream, peppercorns and bay leaves. Bring to a simmer, then turn off the heat and leave to infuse for 30 mins. Pour the milk through a sieve into a jug, then return it to a cleaned pan.
• Stir in the breadcrumbs, bring back to the simmer and cook for a few mins (add a splash more milk if you like your sauce thinner). Stir in the butter, season with salt, white pepper and nutmeg, then pour into a warm serving jug or bowl. Or leave to cool and chill or freeze for up to 1 month until needed.

BRITISH STYLE STEAK SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk together all ingredients, except browning sauce, until thoroughly mixed.
• In a saucepan, bring the mixture to a boil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly.
• Remove from heat, stir in browning sauce, and cool to lukewarm.
• Purée the sauce in a food processor fitted with sharp metal blade.
• Pour into a bottle, cap tightly, and refrigerate.
• Sauce will last very well (about 3 months) in the fridge.

ROASTED RED PEPPER SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Place the peppers on a baking tray and roast in the oven for about 45 mins until the skins are blackened. Remove from the oven and put into a plastic bag - this makes them sweat and the skins slip off more easily. When cool enough to handle, peel off the skins with your fingers. Slice the peppers open, pick out and discard all the seeds and membrane, then roughly chop the red flesh.
• Heat the olive oil in a frying pan. When hot, fry the garlic and shallot for a few mins. Add the chopped peppers and continue to fry for a few mins, stirring to combine everything. Add the vegetable stock, bring to the boil, then allow it to reduce a little.
• Pour the contents of the pan into a blender and whizz until smooth. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Depending on the ripeness of the peppers, you shouldn't need any sugar - but if they retain a slightly bitter flavour, return the sauce to the pan, add sugar to taste and let it dissolve over the heat. Serve hot or at room temperature.

RED WINE SAUCE

Steps:

• Pour the fat out of the pan you cooked your steaks in, but don't clean it. Place the pan back on the heat with half the butter and the shallots and sizzle for 2 mins to soften. Stir in the flour and cook to a sandy paste, then splash in the vinegar and simmer for a moment. Pour in the wine and stir, scraping any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan. Bring to the boil and bubble for a minute, then whisk in the mustard and then the stock.
• Boil the sauce down to about 200ml in total, then taste and season. Whisk in the remaining butter and the parsley, plus any resting juices from the steaks. Serve the steaks on warm plates and spoon the sauce over the top.

GREAT BRITISH FRY UP

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage and hash brown. Fry until browned on one side, about 5 minutes. Turn them over to fry on the other side and add the tomato, bacon and mushrooms. The idea is to start cooking with the things that take the longest.
• When the tomato, bacon and mushrooms are just about cooked, crack the egg into the center and allow to cook. You might want to add a little more oil just to crisp the edges. Toast the slice of bread while the egg cooks and then spread butter on it. Serve everything on a plate with the toast on the side.