As some of you know, I took a sauce class last month with my friend Maghann. I've been wanting to learn how to make a decent sauce to spice up my meals. A few nights ago, I made the berry sauce I learned at class and paired it with the salmon the chef recommended. I served it with asparagus and couscous. It turned out beautifully. Nadine isn't a big fish lover. She ate all the salmon and said the sauce took away some of the fishiness. She scraped up every bit of the sauce. The little ones didn't like the sauce as much, but then they belong to the "Give me Basics" club, so their opinion is to be taken lightly. Making a sauce can add a few extra bucks to the cost, but it really brings variety to any meal. My photo is just so-so, but trust me the sauce is good. Once you learn the principles behind a tasty sauce, you can substitute other fruit and pair it with other meat. I did a peach sauce with chicken that was pretty good. Use your imagination and happy cooking!Gastrique - A thick classic French sauce
2 Cups Blackberries (fresh or frozen) /
you can use other fruit
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
(white wine or rice vinegar for pale fruit)
1/2 Tbsp. butter
1/4 cup minced shallots
1/4 cup dry red wine
(white wine for pale fruit)
salt and pepper
Place thawed berries in the mixer and puree. Strain several times to remove seeds.
In a sauce or frying pan mix sugar with water; cook, uncovered, over medium high heat until reduced to a thick caramel-colored syrup, 5 to 8 minutes. (It might not change much in color.) Remove from heat; add vinegar. Return to low heat and stir until caramel/sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and pour into bowl.
In the same pan, melt butter over medium high heat; add shallots and cook, sirring often, until just soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid evaporates, about 5 minutes. Add berry puree and cook, uncovered, until reduced by half, about 6 minutes. Add half of the vinegar liquid from bowl. Stir. Add more, depending on how you want the flavor. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Strain at least 3 times to remove shallots and produce a thin sauce.
4 comments:
Looks super good - did you remember to strain fifty times seventy-two times??
Wow, good for you. Making sauces sounds great, but I just have something against mixing fruit with meat. I really don't care for fruit in green salads either. If you use any other fun sauces please share.
P.S. It was good to see you today
Sounds devine! I find I really need to taste a sauce to get it right when I try it at home. Thus I will need to try some of your delicious sauces (at least two)before I attempt it at home.
I also don't know if any store in our small little town would carry shallots.
I would've loved to go to that class. I'll definately have to have DAVE try making this sauce to go on our salmon the next time he makes it. :)
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