Creole Sauce Made with Dark Brown Roux

Try this Creole Sauce Made with Dark Brown Roux recipe from the 'Mastering Sauces' cookbook

In Louisiana, a dark brown roux is not just a thickener—it can be a benchmark for who you are as a person. I will take the pan off the stove repeatedly, thinking I’ve done it, only to grimace and put it back on for just a tiny bit longer. I’m a babe in the woods when it comes to authentic Cajun and Creole cooking, but I have an appreciation for the unique toasted taste of dishes made with really dark, slow-cooked roux.

This sauce improves after a day or two and freezes well, so keep some on hand to serve as a dollop alongside a fried catfish fillet, to smother a sausage in a bun like a Cajun hot dog, or to simmer with virtually any mix of meats and seafood for a hearty meal with rice.

This version does not call for gumbo filé, powdered sassafras, a natural thickener with a unique slippery texture, because I’m not a fan. Stir a bit in at the end if you like. I usually make my own Cajun spice mix, but to simplify things, here I suggest using a good commercial blend.

Ingredients

• 1/4 Cup vegetable oil
• 1/4 Cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Cup chopped yellow onion
• 1 Cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/4 Cup chopped celery
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons good-quality Cajun spice mix
• 2 Cups vegetable stock, quick shrimp shell stock, or really good chicken stock
• 14 1/2 Ounces canned diced tomatoes
• 1 Teaspoon kosher salt, or to taste
• 1 Tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 Teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco or Crystal pepper sauce, or more to taste
• 2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley