Red wine is what God created when he decided to make grapes taste better.
Surely, all grapes want to be enjoyed in this fluid manner, instead of being eaten one by one. When grapes join other flavors to make this liquid masterpiece, they create a grown-up version of what grapes have always longed to be. Red wines embody a passionate sophistication that grapes distinctly lack.
Red wine is fantastic on its own, especially when poured into a curvy, clear vessel with a book as a perfect accompaniment. When paired with food, however, the flavor of wine is taken to the next level. Sauces, stews, entrées and even cakes are enlightened with red wine. Recipes with red wine are typically easy to make, and even easier to enjoy.
Anything tastes better when it is covered in a red wine sauce. Sauce with red wine is easy to make. Whisk three cups of dry red wine with three chopped shallots, three tbsp. of cognac and one tsp. of thyme in a sauce pan. Boil the wine mixture until it becomes a thick reduction, which takes about twenty minutes. Add four cups of beef stock and boil for about twenty minutes more. Put five tbsp. of chilled butter into the sauce to add a velvety texture and creamy richness. Serve the wine sauce over filet mignon or other steak. Enjoy how the rich beef compliments the rich sauce.
For a more intense wine flavor, marinate the raw beef overnight in the wine, shallot, cognac and thyme mixture and then use the leftover marinade to make the sauce.
Recipes with red wine are usually savory dishes. However, when reduced, red wine has sweet properties that are unexpected. Reduce a few cups of your favorite red wine by boiling it in a sauce pan and mix in lemon and honey to taste. This red wine reduction is a sweet, rich sauce that is pairs perfectly with cake or ice cream.
For a sophisticated twist, update a classic cake recipe by adding a bit of red wine. Try mixing one cup each of room temperature butter and white sugar with four eggs in a bowl until velvety and smooth. Add one tsp. of vanilla extract and 12-ounces of semisweet chocolate chips. Mix together well. In a separate bowl, sift 2-¼ cups all-purpose flour and two teaspoons of baking powder together, then add it to the liquid mixture. Pour in ½ cup of red wine and stir until the mixture is just combined. Add about four tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa powder. Mix. Pour the batter into a greased 9-inch bake pan and cook in a 360-degree oven for 45 minutes to an hour.
Perhaps what is best about cooking with red wine is that you do not even need a specific recipe. The next time you make spaghetti sauce, add a bit of red wine to the mix and note the complexity the wine adds to your sauce. Pour it into to your lasagna sauce or stew - you will be delighted with the results.
Once you have tried a few recipes with red wine, you will start to learn which wines are best to cook with and which are best paired with a meal. Generally, do not cook with wine that you do not enjoy drinking: cooking generally intensifies the flavor. Different flavors and ingredients of the dish will mingle with the wine. Sometimes, instead of throwing away a bottle of wine that you don’t enjoy drinking, try cooking with it. You might like it mixed with other flavor combinations.
Do not let the gourmet cache of wine deter you from cooking with it. Embrace wine’s elegance and add a bit of class to your cooking. Recipes with red wine are simple and fun. The joy of cooking is typically found when the recipe uses a few fresh, quality ingredients.
