Test Kitchen recipe: What to know about fond, how to unlock its flavor

Q: What is fond?

A: Fond is one of the important parts of making a tasty pan sauce. In March, the word "fond" was added to merriam-webster.com.

The basic thing to understand about fond is that it builds flavor. By definition, a fond refers to those little browned bits of food that are often stuck to the bottom of the pan, skillet or baking dish, especially after searing meat or poultry.

These browned bits are packages of flavor. You can make use of them by deglazing a pan with a liquid, which will help release the browned bits. As you heat the liquid, you can begin scraping up the bits. The liquid will begin to develop flavor courtesy of the concentrated pan juices and the food bits.

It's best to use a wooden spoon to scrape up the bits from the bottom of the pan. The liquid in the pan will thicken slightly as it becomes a sauce. It should at least coat the back of spoon like a glaze. If not, continue cooking.

Once the sauce is done, you can strain it if you like or whisk in a few pieces of cold butter for added richness. The butter will help thicken the sauce.

Today's recipe is a favorite for flavor and because it's quick to make. The pan sauce gets added sweetness from apricot preserves.