FOUR SQUARE RESTAURANT RED WINE REDUCTION SAUCE
"Shortly after he started volunteering in Four Square's kitchen, Dale Wright cornered chef Shane Ingram and demanded the recipe for a delectable red wine reduction sauce. Ingram uses the sauce to give extra sparkle to braised vegetables, potatoes, meats - just about anything. Wright enjoys it as a sauce for grilled steak."
3 strips bacon
1 small carrot, roughly chopped
1 rib celery, roughly chopped
1 small onion, peeled and roughly chopped
2 bay leaves
4 or 5 whole peppercorns
1 or 2 cloves garlic (more if desired)
2 cups red wine
2 cups veal or beef stock
butter, optional
chopped rosemary and thyme, optional
Saute bacon in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat, until lightly cooked and fat is rendered.
Add carrot, celery, onion, bay leaves, peppercorns and garlic. Allow mixture to cook, stirring occasionally, until everything turns a rich brown.
Add red wine and simmer until liquid is reduced and thickened to a glaze.
Add stock to mixture and let cook at a slow simmer for about 30 minutes. As the sauce simmers, skim off fat and impurities that rise to the surface and discard every 5 to 10 minutes.
When liquid is reduced to the desired consistency, strain it through a chinois or fine mesh strainer. (You should have about 1 cup of sauce.) Return sauce to pan. Add some butter and chopped herbs, such as thyme or rosemary, if desired.
Note: Four Square makes stock from meat bones, but home cooks can substitute a can of no - or low-sodium broth.
Makes 1 cup
From: Chef Shane Ingram of Four Square Restaurant
Source: Raleigh News & Observer |