Piquant Sauce is a traditional British recipe, based on Alexis Soyer's recipe of 1849, for a classic piquant (also known as 'sharp') sauce of a brown sauce base flavoured with shallots, white wine vinegar, bayleaf, parsley and gherkins that's typically served with barbecued or fried meats. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Piquant Sauce.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Alexis Soyer's 1849 volume The modern Housewife or Ménagère, a classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
140. PIQUANT OR SHARP SAUCE.—Put two tablespoonfuls of chopped onions, or eschalots, cleaned as above, into a stewpan; put also four tablespoonfuls of vinegar, and a bay-leaf, and boil; then add ten tablespoonfuls of brown sauce, half a one of chopped parsley, ditto of green gherkins; boil five minutes, skim, add a little sugar, taste if well seasoned, take out bay-leaf and serve.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients
2 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
4 tbsp white wine vinegar
1 bayleaf
10 tbsp brown sauce
1/2 tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1/2 tbsp gherkins, finely chopped
sugar, to taste
salt and freshly-ground black pepper, to taste
Method:
Combine the shallots and vinegar in a small pan with the bayleaf. Bring to a boil then add the brown sauce, parsley and gherkins. Bring back to a boil and cook for 5 minutes.
Skim the surface clear then add sugar to taste and adjust the seasonings. Remove the bayleaf and serve immediately.
