This dark, thick, flavorful reduction adds an inimitable richness to meat stews and braises (one or two cubes is sufficient for boosting the flavor). In classic French cooking, demi glace is made by combining brown veal stock with sauce es pagnol (a veal stock thickened with roux), which is then reduced by half. Because demi glace is rather laborious to make (and a bit heavy for modern palates), so many chefs use this straight reduction of stock (without the espagnol) instead. (Julia Child called it a “semi-demi glace.”) This simplified method results in a lighter-bodied sauce, or glaze. To make glace de poulet, substitute veal stock with brown chicken stock.

Ingredients

　　MAKE BASIC BROWN STOCK AS DIRECTED. After chilling and removing the fat, transfer 1 quart stock to a small pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-high. Cook, skimming frequently, until the liquid is reduced to about 1 1/2 cups, 30 to 35 minutes. It should be dark and viscous. Let cool 10 minutes, then pour into an ice-cube tray or 8-inch square pan and let cool completely. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. Pop the cubes from the tray or cut with a sharp knife into 1- and 2-inch squares; place cubes in a large resealable storage bag. Glace de viande can be frozen up to 3 months (there is no need to thaw before using).

　　Reprinted with permission from Martha Stewart's Cooking School: Lessons and Recipes for the Home Cook by Martha Stewart. Copyright © 2008 by Martha Stewart. Published by Crown Publishing. All Rights Reserved.Martha Stewart is the author of dozens of bestselling books on cooking, entertaining, gardening, weddings, and decorating. She is the host of The Martha Stewart Show, the Emmy-winning, daily national syndicated program, and founder of Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, which publishes several magazines, including Martha Stewart Living; produces Martha Stewart Living Radio, channel 112 on SIRIUS Satellite Radio; and provides a wealth of ideas and information on www.marthastewart.com.