Found this at a local grocery and it is fantastic! Costs $5 per at the store, but here you get it for almost half that, especially w/Prime free shipping.Sear/pan-fry filet mignons (or other steak) both sides to just this side of medium rare. (Rice bran oil is best--check it out, but any will do: California Rice Oil Company Oil Rice Bran, 25.4-Ounce Units (Pack of 3)) Place on plate to collect juices. Add some oil & butter to hot, then a package of sliced mushrooms (& some chopped shallots if you want). Saute till all liquid is out & nearly browning. Slug on a healthy dose Marsala (or Madiera) to deglaze pan, stirring up brown bits. After it cooks down to a syrup, add the Foundation Sauce, stir, add steaks & their juice back in and let it simmer about 1-2 minutes. Serve w/mashed potatoes or noodles or rice. The gravy/sauce is glossy, incredibly flavorful, and just plain delicious. I'm imagining adding it to a beef stew, various other ideas with vegetables too. It would be fine just by itself as well. Never buy jar gravy again!
Haven't tried the white wine one yet, but think I'll use it for a veal or chicken picatta.
About 10 years ago I discovered More Than Gourmet products and it changed my cooking for good. I buy most of them in the 16-ounce tubs and use them for much more than sauces. Soups, stews, gumbos, even chili can be improved with one of their many reduced stocks and glaces. When they first came out with this product I was excited. I knew that professional chefs often make a basic sauce at the beginning of a dinner service and later customize it for each different dish on the menu. This product is exactly a pre-prepared version of that.
Yes, it can be served as is, gently warmed and in a saucepan (never microwave it) but it can also be customized for some outstanding, unique meals. I add coconut milk, ginger and basil and serve it over Thai-inspired short ribs or pork tenderloin. I add chipotle puree and a little tequila to the sauce and served it with grilled skirt steak. I find myself often adding some of More Than Gourmet's other products to this basic sauce. I sauteed a mix of wild mushroom is some butter and served it on top and this sauce with a a tablespoon of More Than Gourmet Mushroom Essence and a little tawny port added. If I am preparing a delicate meat, such as veal, and want to tone down the beef flavor I add some heavy cream or unsalted butter. When I am serving a bison steak I add More Than Gourmet Demi-Glace to "beef" the sauce up a little. A tablespoon of Roasted Duck Stock (plus a shot of Armagnac) added to the contents of the carton makes for a quick sauce for roasted duck breast. The possibilities are endless.
Although I still love to make my sauces from scratch, this is great for when you don't have the time, energy or ingredients to accomplish that. Dinner can still be special with this product and a little imagination. By the way, my local gourmet store sells this for almost twice the price as I can currently purchase it on Amazon.I use this when we have filet steaks. When the steaks are done cooking I remove them to a plate to rest and add a diced shallot to the pan and a few mushrooms and saute them for a few minutes, then I add this sauce and bring it up to a boil, reduce a bit and then remove from the heat and whisk in a tablespoon of cold butter. Everyone loves the sauce, even people who thought it was a sin to eat any kind of sauce with a filet mignon.I tried this sauce based on most of the reviews. I can't say it has lives up to its reputation. It's nice & thick, but the flavor just doesn't seem 'real' I've made some good sauces in my time, but I've never tasted anything this odd. Perhaps the red wine used is just too harsh, but I agree with another reviewer that this would overwhelm almost any dish it was served with. It might improve if it was tamed (i.e. watered) down a bit with pan juices or a bit of cream (which would no longer make it a darkly-colored sauce).
