How to Make a Tarragon Red Currant Jelly Sauce?
A brown sauce made with demi-glace, red currant jelly, and tarragon is not just a sophisticated and flavorful complement, but a versatile one too. It enhances a wide range of dishes, from roasted meats to grilled vegetables. This sauce combines the deep, savory richness of demi-glace, the sweet-tart brightness of red currant jelly, and the aromatic, anise-like essence of tarragon, creating a harmonious blend of flavors that can elevate any meal.
Demi-glace is a classic French sauce base known for its concentrated flavor and silky texture. It reduces brown stock and espagnole sauce until thick and intensely flavorful. This rich foundation provides the perfect canvas for building complex sauces.
Red currant jelly adds a sweet and slightly tangy dimension to the sauce. Made from red currants, this jelly has a vibrant flavor that cuts through the richness of the demi-glace, adding a refreshing and fruity note. Its smooth texture helps to enhance the sauce’s consistency, making it glossy and velvety.
Tarragon, a herb with a distinct, slightly sweet, anise-like flavor, elevates the sauce with its aromatic quality. Its unique taste pairs beautifully with the other ingredients, adding depth and complexity. Tarragon is often used in French cuisine to enhance and balance flavors.
To prepare this brown sauce, start by melting a small amount of butter in a saucepan and sautéing finely chopped shallots until they are translucent. Add a splash of white wine and let it reduce by half to intensify the flavor. Stir in the demi-glace and red currant jelly, allowing the jelly to melt and incorporate fully into the sauce. Finally, add freshly chopped tarragon and simmer for a few minutes, letting the flavors meld together.
This brown sauce is not just an accompaniment but a flavor enhancer that can transform your dining experience. It’s particularly excellent with roasted meats, such as lamb, pork, and poultry. Its complex, multifaceted profile enhances the natural flavors of the meat, creating an elegant and memorable dining experience. Drizzle it over a perfectly cooked roast or serve it alongside grilled meats to add a touch of sophistication and depth to your meal. Get ready for a taste sensation!
Red Currant Jelly
Red currant jelly is a vibrant and versatile condiment made from red currants, small berries known for their bright red color and tart flavor. This jelly has a unique sweet-tart taste, which makes it a popular choice in both sweet and savory dishes. The process of making red currant jelly involves cooking the berries with sugar and sometimes a bit of lemon juice until they release their juice, then straining the mixture to achieve a smooth, clear jelly.
Rich in vitamin C, antioxidants, and dietary fiber, red currant jelly is not only flavorful but also offers nutritional benefits. Its sharp, refreshing flavor makes it an excellent accompaniment to a variety of foods. In savory dishes, red currant jelly pairs well with meats, particularly game, lamb, and poultry, providing a fruity counterpoint that enhances the overall flavor. It’s often used as a glaze for meats or stirred into pan sauces to add depth and complexity.
In sweet applications, red currant jelly can be spread on toast, used as a filling for pastries and cakes, or paired with cheeses, especially creamy or tangy varieties like brie or goat cheese. Its bright color and distinct flavor also make it a popular choice for garnishing desserts and enhancing the visual appeal of dishes.
Red Currant Tarragon Brown Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 shallot chopped fine
- ¼ cup red wine
- 5 ounces demi glace
- 2 tablespoons red currant jelly
- ½ tablespoon fresh tarragon chopped fine
- pepper to taste
Instructions
- Heat a medium sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the butter and then the chopped shallot. Let this cook until the shallot is translucent, about 2 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and deglaze with the red wine. Be careful not to burn yourself. Bring the pan back to the heat, lower it to medium and reduce the wine to an essence.
- Just before all the wine has cooked off, add the demi-glace and again lower the heat and simmer the sauce for about 5 minutes.
- Add the red currant jelly, fresh tarragon, pepper and keep reducing until the sauce is thick enough to coat a spoon.
- If you cook it down too much (something I do a lot if I'm not paying attention) you can add a little extra wine or beef stock.
- In restaurants, the chef will often add a pat or two of butter to give the sauce a little more flavor and some extra sheen. It also adds a bunch more calories, so I try not to indulge in this practice unless I'm having guests over.
- When the sauce is at your desired thickness, taste and adjust seasonings.
- If you want to make the sauce even more elegant, strain it through a fine mesh strainer before serving over your beef, pork, veal or chicken.
