Red Wine Jus

If you are going to hold a dinner party, I think going that little bit further is definitely the way to go. Sure, it usually means more work for you but the rewards of having your guests sigh with pleasure when they taste your food most definitely makes it all worthwhile. So to accompany my show stopping centrepiece crown roast, I wanted to provide a dark, rich and velvety jus to drizzle over  the dainty cutlets. This recipe is easy to make. There is an intensity as well as a good balance of flavours. Besides, any leftover can be frozen and used for your next roast dinner or just poured over a nice char-grilled steak. Delicious!

Red Wine Jus

Ingredients

Olive Oil

2 shallots, chopped roughly

175ml port

175ml red wine

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1 bay leaf

750ml beef stock

salt to taste

2 rounded tablespoons butter

Method

1. Put enough oil in a pan to caramelise the shallots. Add port, wine and herbs. Bring to the boil. Simmer and reduce by half.

2. Add stock and reduce by half again.

3. Taste regularly and add salt if needed.

4. Remove pan from heat and strain through a fine sieve.

5. Return to stove and bring to boil. Remove from heat and add in butter.

6. Serve in an elegant gravy jug with a serving spoon for guests to spoon this delicious liquid over their meat.

A succulent crown roast waiting to be drizzled with the flavoursome jus.

“Jus – this French word is roughly equivalent to ‘juice’, but has more specific meanings in French cookery than the English word. It is used primarily for the gravy of a roast, made by diluting the pan juices with water, clear stock or any other suitable liquid, and then boiling it until all the goodness in the pan has been absorbed into the stock.”

“Reduce – To concerntrate or thicken a liquid such as a sauce or stock by boiling, which evaporates some of the water and reduces the volume.The time required will depend on the quantity of the liquid and the degree of concerntration required…the aim of reducing a sauce is to improve it’s flavour, smoothness and consistency.”

Images: pleasures of the plate

Recipe: www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/Red-Wine-Jus-L6376.html

Definitions: Larousse Gastronomique (New Concise)

Red Wine Jus