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Bordeaux sauce is a French preparation made with wine and broth, often added to meats and other savory dishes. It typically includes shallots, thyme, bay leaves, butter, and beef stock. Variations can include additional spices and vegetables. The wine used is important, with dry reds like Bordeaux or zinfandel recommended.
Bordeaux sauce is a popular French preparation often added to meats and other savory preparations. Named for the Bordeaux wine region of France, this rich sauce typically involves a base of wine and broth. Bordeaux sauce is a common feature on French-inspired menus around the world and can add sophisticated flavor to a wide variety of dishes.
A basic Bordelaise sauce has just a few ingredients that are carefully cooked and reduced. Slightly sharp shallots, fragrant thyme and bay leaves, rich butter, bone marrow, beef stock, and even earthy mushrooms are the basic ingredients found in many versions of the sauce. Learning to make a bordelaise is not a difficult process; once a basic recipe is mastered, a chef can quickly learn to create variations that draw on his or her cooking style.
To make a basic basalaise sauce, combine finely chopped shallots and spices in the wine over medium-high heat, bringing the mixture to a boil, and start reducing. The reduction allows the flavors to blend and strengthen, creating a powerful base. To this mixture you can add broth or demi-glace, a rich and strong blend of marrow and broth that can be made at home or bought ready-made. Beat in the butter and season to taste before pouring over or around the main dish.
There are thousands of different recipes available for this savory sauce. Considered a staple French dish, bordelaise is subject to endless variation both in terms of the recipe of the sauce itself and the main ingredient that the sauce is used to complement. Filet mignon or other steaks are commonly paired with this sauce, but some use it to flavor mashed potatoes or even flavor portobello mushrooms.
Other variations on ingredients include several additional spices and vegetables added to the gravy stock. Some recipes call for parsley, while others call for a spicier version using allspice. Carrots, tomatoes and other variations can be boiled with the wine and removed or pureed before serving. As with many great recipes, only experimentation will help a chef find his or her favorite version.
The wine used in a Bordeaux sauce is especially important to the finished product. Many food experts recommend using a dry red which will impart its best flavors when reduced in the thick sauce. Traditionally, a French wine is used, specifically a dry version from the Bordeaux region for which the sauce is named. A dry zinfandel or pinot noir, regardless of national origin, can also be a great choice.
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