Tag: wine

Red Wine Sauce

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Deliciously rich red wine sauce as an accompaniment to steak. Easy to make – cook it while steaks are resting then drizzle over. Goes well with chicken too.

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp butte
  • 1/2 small onion finely chopped
  • 1 tsp plain flour
  • 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
  • 150ml red wine
  • 200ml chicken or beef stock

Method

  1. On medium heat add half the butter and the shallots and sizzle for 2 mins to soften.
  2. Stir in the flour and cook to a lump free paste, then add the vinegar and bring to a simmer.
  3. Pour in the wine and stir, scraping any sticky bits off the bottom of the pan.
  4. Whisk in the mustard and then the stock.
  5. Simmer the sauce down to about 200ml in total, then taste and season.
  6. Whisk in the remaining butter, plus any resting juices from the steaks (or chicken).
  7. Serve the steaks on warm plates and spoon the sauce over the top.

Variations

  • Goes well with grilled or roast chicken.
  • Add sliced mushrooms.
  • Add 1 level tsp of tomato paste.
  • Try it with pasta and parmesan.

4 Types of Fortified Wine for Cooking

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To create a sweet fortified wine, winemakers add the spirit before fermentation ends. To create a dry fortified wine, they only add the spirit once fermentation has completed.

Yeast is the primary fermentation agent in most wines, transforming sugars in grape juice into ethanol (alcohol). Most table wines are around 12-14% ABV, so yeast can complete fermentation as long as the winemakers allow. Adding spirits to wine boosts the ABV.

Port

Originating from the Douro Valley in northern Portugal, port wine is one of the most popular types of fortified wine.

  • Ruby Port: A port with savory, herbaceous qualities.
  • Tawny Port: Barrel-aged port wine known for its notes of caramel and cashew.
  • White Port: Dry, sweet port made from late-harvest white grapes. A dry or sweet Port made from local white grapes.
  • Rose Port: Red wine port made with minimal maceration time for grape skins.
  • Vintage Port: Port cultivated from the harvest of a single year.

Port has a rich sweetness and depth that’s especially good in meat-based casseroles.

Fillet Mignon with Port Wine Sauce

Sherry

Similar to other fortified wines like vermouth, sherry is fortified with brandy and is typically 15-18% ABV. When it comes to sherry vs wine aging potential, sherry comes with a shelf life 4-5 times longer than similar red wines due to the brandy.

Sherry’s complex roasted nutty flavors can enhance just about any soup, stew, or sautéed dish

Vermouth

Vermouth is a fortified and aromatized wine that dates back to 18th century Turin, Italy. The main difference between vermouth and classic fortified wines such and port and sherry is that these wines are often flavoured with herbs and spices such as cloves, coriander and cinnamon. 

Masala and Madeira

Marsala is a fortified wine from the Marsala region in Sicily, Italy, characterized by smoky and nutty flavours.

Madeira is a suitable cooking alternative when you don’t have a bottle of Marsala on hand. It originates from the Madeira Islands of Portugal and is often served alongside fatty meats and savory semi-hard cheeses.