How to make a quick red wine reduction

On cooking programs you can not go five minutes without hearing about red wine reductions, but how do you go about making such a sauce to drizzle over a lovely piece of lamb or duck for example?

Well, to be honest, I am not sure, but the following suggestion creates a fabulous red wine sauce, which doesn't take an age.

Ingredients

Half a bottle of a full bodied red wine
Half a small onion
One carrot, chopped roughly.
Meet flavour, preferable from a meat juices, or alternatively use a rich stock or gravy powder (adjust according to taste.
A sprig of sage
150ml water
1 tbsp red currant jelly

Method

1. In a saucepan heat the wine, onion and carrot and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes so that it has started to reduce and thicken.
2. If cooking meat use the pan to generate some rich meat flavours, which will make the sauce taste amazing. Heat the pan and then deglaze with the water and bubble away for a few minutes.
3. Add the wine reduction, a pinch of salt and the sage and simmer for at least five minutes, but longer if you want the reduction to be thicker.
4. Take off the heat and stir in and melt the red currant jelly.

Strain with a sieve and serve over lamb chops of duck breasts for a sweet, rich sauce that will wow your diners.

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Sage and ale sauce - perfect for game birds or poultry

Sometimes a meal or, in this case, a sauce is created almost by accident. I was planning on making a cider sauce to go with a roast guinea fowl, however, it turned out there was no cider in the cupboard, while there was some fresh sage that needed to be used.

The creation was a delicious sauce that I think would work well with any game bird, or poultry and served almost as a gravy. The flavours are drawn from the fats and juices of the bird in the roasting tin, so this is essential for the sauce to pay off.

Ingredients

Fats and juices from a roasted bird
1 tbsp of plain flour
150ml water
250ml pale ale
sprig of sage
half a small onion
1/2 tsp salt
level tbsp of red currant jelly

Method

1. After roasting a bird and possibly potatoes in a tin there will be nice crispy bits, fats and juices in the pan. Drain the bird of all the juices into the pan and then put it on a medium heat.
2. Add the flour and mix into the pan to make a paste and then add the finely chopped onion.
3. With the pan sizzling add the water and stir strongly for a minute.
4. Now add the beer and sage leaves.
5. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often, making sure all the crispy bits are scrapped off the bottom of the pan.
6. Add salt to taste and then before serving melt and stir in the red currant jelly.

Serve with the meat and crispy roast potatoes.

More red currant jelly may be required if you use a bitter beer in this recipe.

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Green Peppercorn Sauce for steaks

A good piece of beef is a pleasure that is hard to describe. If a fabulous fillet of beef, or a rib eye steak is seasoned and cooked well it does not require a sauce to be enjoyed. However, a side green peppercorn sauce is a fine accompaniment, or for a lesser cut of beef it can save the day. Here is a simple recipe to create a cultured and flavoursome sauce that will treat you palette and wow your diners.

Ingredients

1 heaped tsp of green peppercorns
1 shallot (or half a small onion)
150ml double cream
2 tsb of Coleman's English mustard
Steak juices
2 tbsp brandy

Method

1. Using the pan in which you've cooked your steaks add the finely diced shallot or onion and cook while the pan is still hot.
2. The onion will brown quickly so keep stirring and add the brandy.
3. After a matter of seconds and the green peppercorns and using the back of the spoon or spatular gently crush them.
4. Add the cream and mustard and reduce the heat to low and simmer, while constantly stirring, for five minutes.
5. If possible add the juices that have come from the beef steaks that have been resting on a plate.

Enjoy with your streak of choice - my recommendation is a rib eye steak smothered in cracked black peppercorns.

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