Grant Crilly is the Executive Director and cofounder of ChefSteps. Grant is a classically trained chef and, prior to ChefSteps, he worked on the award-winning cookbook series Modernist Cuisine and cooked at various restaurants, including L’Astrance in Paris, Busaba in Mumbai, and Mistral Kitchen in Seattle.

Grant Crilly

Got a meat-free friend coming to dinner and wondering what in the world to serve? We’ve got you covered—covered in an unctuous, flavor-packed demi-glace that’s wheat-free, gluten-free, and vegetarian. Did we say vegetarian? We should probably mention that it’s in fact vegan—with no dairy at all. And yet, you won’t believe its rich, satisfying taste and texture. Oh, and hey, you can make this stuff in less than two hours! That’s pretty crazy considering that traditional demi-glace can take about 24 hours. To our minds, the best meat-free recipes remind you that you could eat like a king even if you never touched a piece of cooked animal protein again. This is one of those recipes. In fact, at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, we believe that it may even be a little better than a meaty demi-glace because the earthy flavor of the vegetables—augmented by umami-rich seaweed, though you can leave that out in a pinch—is so complex and lively. Serve it atop steak or serve it atop a tofu steak. Hell, just pour it into a shot glass and serve it between courses. Whatever you do with it, you’ll wind up with a decadent, rich dish that will make your guests—all your guests—feel like royalty.NOTES ON THIS RECIPE:
We include a list of suggested veggies below, but once you get the technique down you can use whatever you have on hand—provided you combine sweet vegetables with more savory plants for balance. Use too much of the sweet stuff, and the demi could become cloying and syrupy. This demi-glace gets thickened with <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N8N_VNmXNb4">xanthan gum</a> and pectin. (You probably know the latter from eating jams and jellies.) We also add a little MSG along with salt for a pop of flavor. While these ingredients may be new to your kitchen, they’re all pretty easy to find online and in stores. Also, the MSG is optional. Stir it in or leave it out; you’ll wind up with one bomb-ass sauce either way.

Umami-Bomb Vegetarian Demi-Glace