No. 387 — Basic Red or Dark Flour Sauce
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 387 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Put ½ spoonful of fresh butter into a wide saucepan or deep sauté pan. When melted, sprinkle in one full spoonful of good wheat flour.
Fry the flour while stirring until it becomes dark reddish brown. Dilute with three glasses of boiling meat, fish, mushroom or vegetable stock, the last prepared with a bunch of herbs.
Cook while stirring until the desired thickness is reached, then strain, add the remaining flavorings, bring once to the boil and serve.
The author says that red or dark sauces do not contain egg yolks or crayfish. Instead they may be flavored with burnt sugar, concentrated meat broth and various essences, Nos. 391–396.
To provide
½ spoonful, or 1/16 Russian pound, of butter 1 full spoonful of flour | 2–3 glasses of liquid |