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Reform Sauce

Reform Sauce is a traditional British recipe, based on Charles Elmé Francatelli's recipe of 1861, for a classic sauce, invented at the Reform Club for a poivrade sauce base finished with port wine, Harvey's sauce, anchovy essence and redcurrant jelly and which is served with fried meats. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Reform Sauce.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

25 minutes

Total Time:

45 minutes

Serves:

6

Rating:

Tags : Sauce RecipesSpice RecipesVegetable RecipesBritish Recipes

This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Reform Sauce that's derived from the chef, Charles Elmé Francatelli' 1861 volume, The Cook's Guide and Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction. This was the classic sauce of London's reform club that was invented by Francatelli's predecessor at the club, Alexis Soyer. There are several versions of this sauce on the internet, and I have a more modern version of Reform Sauce on this site, but this, obviously, is the most authentic and traditional.

Original Recipe

No. 28.—Reform Sauce

Prepare some poivrade sauce, No. 19; to this add a glass of port wine, half that quantity of Harvey, a teaspoonful of anchovy, and two good tablespoonfuls of red currant jelly; boil together for five minutes, and pour into a clean small stewpan for use.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

30g lean ham, finely diced
30g carrots, finely diced
30g onion, finely diced
1 bayleaf
1 sprig of thyme
20 black peppercorns
1 blade of mace
2 tbsp butter
150ml vinegar
75ml mushroom catsup
1 tsp anchovy essence
300ml brown sauce
4 tbsp strong stock
150ml sherry
150ml port wine
75ml Harvey's sauce
2 tbsp (heaped) redcurrant jelly

Method:

Melt the butter in a pan, add the ham, carrots, onion, bayleaf, thyme, peppercorns and mace then fry for about 8 minutes, or until well browned. Add the vinegar and mushroom catsup along with the anchovy essence. Stir to combine, bring to a boil and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the volume has reduced by half.

Now stir in the brown sauce along with the stock and sherry. Bring to a boil and continue boiling gently for about 10 minutes, or until all the fat has risen to the surface of the liquid. Skim off the fat then pass the sauce through a sieve. Return to the pan then mix in the port wine, Harvey's sauce and redcurrant jelly. Bring back to a boil, stir until the redcurrant jelly has dissolved and continue cooking for five minutes.

Take off the heat, pour into a sauce boat and serve as an accompaniment to grilled lamb.