Step 1

Place the bay leaf, parsley, thyme and peppercorns in the center of the cheesecloth, bring together the ends and tie into a sachet with the kitchen string. Set aside.

Step 2

In a medium saucepan, heat the clarified butter over medium-medium high heat and add the diced onions, carrots and celery. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onions turn slightly translucent and vegetables soften a little.

Step 3

Sprinkle in the flour and cook for three minutes, stirring constantly. You want the flour to brown, but not burn. Stir in two cups of broth and the sachet of herbs. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes or until sauce is reduced by a third.

Step 4

Transfer the sachet to a small plate and set aside. Set a fine mesh sieve over a bowl or glass measuring cup and pour the contents of the pot through the sieve, collecting the sauce in the bowl. Press on the solids in the sieve to extract as much sauce as possible, without shoving the soft vegetables through. Discard the vegetables.

Step 5

Add the sauce and sachet back to the pot and add the remainder of the broth. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. Cook for an additional 50 minutes or until broth has reduced to about 1 cup. Remove the sachet (pressing out all the liquid) and discard.

Step 6

For a darker demi glace, add 1/4 teaspoon browning sauce and season to taste with a little salt. If you’re using the demi glace as the base for another sauce — you don’t need to salt it.