Rosemary and Port Wine Demi-Glace

[ironchef]

Also posted under the Filet Mignon thread in the beef section.


Rosemary and Port Wine Demi-Glace

Yield: 1/2 – 2/3 cups

Ingredients:

2 c. Veal or Beef Stock
1 c. Ruby Port Wine
2 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
3 Shallots, finely minced
½ c. Leeks (white part only), thinly sliced
2 Bay Leaves
2 tsp. Canola Oil
3 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
Kosher salt to taste

Method:

Sauté the shallots and leeks in oil until translucent, about 3-4 minutes. Add the port, and reduce until the liquid becomes thick and syrupy (it should be able to lightly coat the back of a spoon). Add the stock and bay leaves, bring to a boil, and then simmer until reduced by half. Lightly bruise the rosemary, add it to the sauce. Continue to reduce the sauce until approx 1/2 to 2/3 cups remain. Strain into a separate pan, then off the heat, whisk in the butter until it’s emulsified. Season to taste with the kosher salt.

**Because this sauce is concentrated, it is NOT meant to drench the meat in. 2-3 tablespoons of sauce will suffice because the flavor is so rich. You don’t want to overpower the meat.

 

[mudbug]

This looks very promising, ironchef. Thanks.

 

[RPCookin]

Yes, it looks very tasty. I'm going to try it with some club steaks we have in the freezer.

 

[ironchef]

Let me know how you liked it or if you had any problems making it.

 

[mudbug]

Ironchef, I made this recipe on Saturday. Apparently didn't let it reduce enough, because the end product was not very thick and I had about a cup. I was pressed for time ( had to feed and get two teenagers out the door for a party on time), so I'm sure that was part of the problem.

About how long should it take for the two reductions?

Tasted delicious, though. Will practice further (I've got all that port left, and I won't drink it straight - too sweet).

 

[ironchef]

The end product is not supposed to be thick like a gravy so I'm sure you did it correctly. You could probably have let the combined stock and port reduce by 1/4 cup more to get about 2/3-3/4 of a cup. The sauce should be a concentration of the flavors, but still fairly light in consistency. I try to keep my sauces a little thinner because I like how it combines with the texture of the food it's being paired with. To me, a sauce that's too thick overpowers the food texture wise, and doesn't feel right when eating and chewing.