Sauce Aristocratique is a traditional British recipe, based on Mrs Beeton's recipe of 1861, for a classic sauce made from a walnut juice base with anchovies, spices and shallots that's finished by boiling with vinegar, port wine and soy sauce before being cooled and bottled. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Sauce Aristocratique.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from the redoubtable Mrs Beeton's 1861 volume Mrs Beeton's Book of Household Management, the classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
SAUCE ARISTOCRATIQUE (a Store Sauce).
510. INGREDIENTS.—Green walnuts. To every pint of juice, 1 lb. of anchovies, 1 drachm of cloves, 1 drachm of mace, 1 drachm of Jamaica ginger bruised, 8 shalots. To every pint of the boiled liquor, 1/2 pint of vinegar, 1/4 pint of port wine, 2 tablespoonfuls of soy.
Mode.—Pound the walnuts in a mortar, squeeze out the juice through a strainer, and let it stand to settle. Pour off the clear juice, and to every pint of it, add anchovies, spices, and cloves in the above proportion. Boil all these together till the anchovies are dissolved, then strain the juice again, put in the shalots (8 to every pint), and boil again. To every pint of the boiled liquor add vinegar, wine, and soy, in the above quantities, and bottle off for use. Cork well, and seal the corks.
Seasonable.—Make this sauce from the beginning to the middle of July, when walnuts are in perfection for sauces and pickling.
Average cost, 3s. 6d. for a quart.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
green walnuts
For every 500ml of Walnut Juice:
375g anchovy fillets
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground mace
1/2 tsp ginger, bruised
4 shallots
To every 500ml of the boiled liquid:
250ml vinegar
125ml port wine
5 tsp soy sauce
Method:
Pound the walnuts in a mortar then squeeze out the juice in a strainer. Pour into a jug and set aside to settle. Pour off the clear liquid into a measuring jug and for every 500ml of juice add the quantities of anchovy fillets, ground cloves, ground mace, ginger and shallots given above.
Bring to a boil and continue cooking for about 25 minutes, or until the anchovies have broken down. Strain the resultant juice, return to a pan then to every 500ml add the quantities of vinegar, port wine and soy sauce given above. Allow to cool then pour into bottles, stopper securely and store in a cool, dark, cupboard until needed.
