Sauce Diable — Devil's Sauce with Cayenne and Vinegar

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Sauce Diable — the devil's sauce — is the most aggressive of the espagnole derivatives, a reduction-driven preparation where white wine and vinegar are concentrated with shallots until nearly dry, then rebuilt with demi-glace and finished with a sting of cayenne pepper that should make the diner sit up without making them suffer. The technique is a masterclass in controlled reduction: shallots in fine brunoise are sweated in butter, then white wine and white wine vinegar (in equal parts) are added and reduced to a near-glaze — perhaps two tablespoons of sticky, intensely acidic liquid. This reduction is the flavour engine. Demi-glace is added and the sauce simmers for 15 minutes, then is strained through a chinois, pressing the shallots. Cayenne pepper is added off heat — a pinch at a time, tasting between additions. The heat should be perceptible but not painful: a slow warmth that builds on the back of the palate. Freshly ground white pepper is added alongside for complexity. The finished sauce should be dark, glossy, sharply acidic, and warm with chilli heat. It is the traditional sauce for grilled spatchcocked chicken (poulet à la diable), where the bird is pressed flat, brushed with mustard and breadcrumbs, grilled, and served with the sauce on the side. The sauce also pairs well with grilled chops and devilled kidneys. The devil is in the balance — too much cayenne kills the palate, too little and the sauce is merely an acidic brown sauce without character.

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