Sos myśliwski – Hunter’s Sauce

• Sos  myśliwski  – this translates as Hunter’s sauce.
• I can understand the name if wild mushrooms are used but otherwise I do not know why it gets this name.
• Gherkins are used in the sauce and this addition verges on “magical”.
• I had never made this before but will now be making it often as it is so delicious.

Ingredients 

• 2 slices of smoked bacon – chopped
• 100g of fresh mushrooms – sliced
• 2 large gherkins – chopped into cubes
• 2 tablespoons of butter
• 1 tablespoon of plain flour.
• 2 tablespoons of tomato purée
• 1 onion – chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic – chopped
• Large pinch of allspice
• 1 teaspoon of of ground paprika
• 1 teaspoon of hot ground paprika
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon of made mustard.
• 500ml of vegetable or chicken stock.

Method

• Melt the butter in a saucepan.
• Fry the mushrooms, onions and garlic.
• Add the bacon and fry together for a few minutes.
• Add the flour and stir and cook for a few minutes.
• To the stock add the tomato purée, allspice, both paprikas and mustard. 
• Stir it all together.
• Slowly add this to the fried ingredients and stir whilst it thickens. 
• Add the bay leaves and gherkins.
• Simmer for around 20 minutes till the ingredients soften.
• Serve the sauce hot with roast meats.