24—Lenten Espagnole

Practical men are not agreed as to the need of Lenten Espagnole. The ordinary Espagnole being really a neutral sauce in flavour, it is quite simple to give it the necessary flavour by the addition of the required quantity of fish fumet. It is only, therefore, when one wishes to conform with the demands of a genuine Lent sauce that a fish Espagnole is needed. And, certainly in this case, nothing can take its place.

The preparation of this Espagnole does not differ from that of the ordinary kind, except that the bacon is replaced by mushroom parings in the No. 228, Mirepoix, and that the sauce must be despumated for only one hour.

This sauce takes the place of the ordinary Espagnole, for Lenten preparations, in every case where the latter is generally used, in No. 268, Gratins, in the Genevoise sauce, &c.