Seven Pepper Sauce

• cup chopped onion3⁄4 cup
• cup chopped bell pepper1⁄2 cup
• cup chopped celery1⁄4 cup
• cup vegetable oil↗1⁄4 cup
• cup all-purpose flour, plus↗1⁄4 cup
• tablespoon all-purpose flour↗1 tablespoon
• teaspoon ground red pepper (preferably cayenne)↗3⁄4 teaspoon
• teaspoon white pepper1⁄2 teaspoon
• teaspoon black pepper↗1⁄2 teaspoon
• bay leaves↗2
• cup minced fresh jalapeno pepper1⁄4 cup
• teaspoon minced garlic1 teaspoon
• cups beef stock↗3 cups

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   I really like Classical music while I make this dish. Don't know why, but it just seems to fit. My favorite is Tchaikovsky: Suite No.2 Capriccio Italienne, Op.45. And a cold Coors!

2. 2

   Combine the onions, bell peppers (I use a mix of red, yellow, and green), and celery in a small bowl and set aside while you start the roux.

3. 3

   To make the roux, in a heavy 2-quart sauce pan, heat the oil over medium-low heat to about 250 degrees. With a metal whisk, whisk in the flour a little at a time until smooth. Continue cooking, whisking constantly, until the rou is light brown – about 2 – 3 minutes. Be careful not to let the rou scorch or splash on your skin.

4. 4

   Remove from the heat, and immediately stir in the red, white, and black pepper. Return to high heat and cook about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the bay leaves, fresh peppers and garlic, stirring well.

5. 5

   Continue cooking about 2 minutes, stirring constantly. (Since we're cooking the seasoning and vegetables into the rou, the mixture should be quite pasty.) Remove from heat.

6. 6

   In a separate 2-quart sauce pan, bring the stock to a boil. (1 bullion cube to 1 cup water works OK). Add the rou mixture by spoonfuls to the boiling stock, stirring until dissolved between each addition. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the sauce reduces to 3 ½ cups, about 15 minutes. Skim any oil from the top, and serve immediately.