Basic Fond De Veau

Name: Basic Fond De Veau
Yield: Makes about 4 cups
Ingredients: 3 pounds veal bones or shanks; 3 tablespoons olive oil; 2 large onions, roughly chopped; 1 carrot, roughly chopped; 1 stalk celery, roughly chopped; 1 head garlic, halved; 2 tablespoons tomato paste; 2 cups red wine; 8 cups Basic Veal Stock; 1 bay leaf; 4 sprigs fresh thyme; 1 teaspoon black peppercorns

By John Besh

November 24, 2013

This sauce is the cook's best friend and the building block of many great French dishes. The powdered stuff sold in stores is not even in the same ballpark. This fond, or foundation sauce, takes my Basic Veal Stock then flavors and reduces it to intensify its power. Fond de Veau does require a bit of preparation and is probably the most expensive sauce I use, but it is so worth it for the potent, authentic flavor it confers to something like sautéed porcini mushrooms or as literally the secret sauce in the Ragout of Lamb Shoulder with Cavatelli.

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