it's expensive, joe. i agree. so is dean/deluca. i luv the items, tho.
($90+ for a spice rack for decoration. $360 for a KA mixer tho $50 went to susan g. komen & i got a certificate for a $50 attachment i allowed to expire. it was only that much as it was pink & @ that point, the newly-colored mixers were arriving on the shelves. one of my fave knives, tho, & a wusthof santoku (my 1st good knife) was on sale for $80 from $120. & i got a s/s all-clad pot for $14.99! the cashier assured me that it was indeed that cheap. me & my Mom held it together for that. i was raised on cladware. i know it thru-& thru. that was not a $14 pot. her lack of brains, my 'discount'.
u could make your own demi-glace. a minor sorta production, tho way cheaper than D'argantan/w-s. etc!
Yes I could but here is how one make a classic demi-glace. Not something that is quick and easy to say the least and sure isn't much cheaper than buying in small amounts as this takes a lot of stuff to get a little. It is a mulipart receipe shown below with the first the simple mixing of the other parts. Each part requires some time to do as well as ingredients.
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CLASSIC DEMI GLACE RECIPES - seperated by --------------- for each part of recipe.
DEMI-GLACE
Yield: 1 gallon
1 gallon Espagnole sauce, hot (recipe below)
1 gallon brown stock, hot (recipe below)
1 bouquet garni (recipe below)
I
n a stock pot, combine the Espagnole sauce, brown stock and bouquet garni, together, over medium-high heat. Bring up to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and a simmer until the liquid reduces by half, about 1 1/2 hours. Skim the liquid occasionally, for impurities. Season with salt and pepper. Strain through a China Cap or tightly meshed strainer.
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ESPAGNOLE SAUCE
Ingredients:
1 gallon brown stock, hot
1 1/2 cups brown roux
1/4 cup bacon fat
2 cups chopped onions
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup chopped celery
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup tomato puree
1 bouquet garni
In a stock pot, whisk the hot stock into the roux. In a large sauté pan, heat the bacon fat. Add the vegetables. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until wilted, about 5 minutes. Stir the tomato puree into the vegetables and cook for about 5 minutes.
Add the tomato/vegetable mixture to the stock/roux mixture. Add the bouquet garni and continue to simmer, skimming as needed. Season with salt and pepper.
Simmer the sauce for about 45 minutes. Strain the sauce through a China cap or tightly meshed strainer.
Yield: 1 gallon
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BASIC BROWN STOCK
Ingredients:
8 pounds veal marrow bones sawed into 2-inch pieces
6 pounds beef marrow bones sawed into 2-inch pieces
16 ounces tomato paste
4 cups chopped onions
2 cups chopped carrot
2 cups chopped celery
4 cups dry red wine
1 bouquet garni
Salt and pepper
16 quarts of water
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Place the bones in a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour. Remove the bones from the oven and brush with the tomato paste.
In a mixing bowl, combine the onions, carrots, and celery together. Lay the vegetables over the bones and return to the oven. Roast for 30 minutes.
Remove from the oven and drain off any fat.
Place the roasting pan on the stove and deglaze the pan with the red wine, using a wooden spoon, scraping the bottom of the pan for browned particles. Put everything into a large stockpot. Add the bouquet garni and season with salt.
Add the water. Bring the liquid up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer the stock for 4 hours, skimming regularly. Remove from the heat and strain through a China cap or tightly meshed strainer.
Yield: about 2 gallons
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BOUQUET GARNI
Using Fresh Ingredients:
1 bay leaf
3 sprigs thyme
4 large sprigs parsley (including stalks)
10 cm (4 inch) piece celery stalked with leaves
two 10 cm (4 inch) pieces leek (green part)
Preparation:
Place the bay leaf, thyme, parsley and celery on one piece of green leek. Cover with the remaining piece of green leek. Tie securely with fine string, leaving a length of string attached so that the bouquet garni can be easily retrieved.
or
Using Dried Ingredients:
1/4 cup dried parsley (classic ingredient)
2 Tablespoons dried thyme (classic ingredient)
2 Tablespoons dried bay leaf (classic ingredient)
2 Tablespoons dried rosemary (optional ingredient)
Preparation:
Combine parsley, thyme, bay leaf, and rosemary in a bowl. Place in an airtight container. Store in a cool, dark place away from heat sources. Use within 6 months.
Bouquet garni is good with meats and vegetables. Traditionally, this mixture is tied up in cheesecloth for easy removal after flavoring.
