Gastrique is a sauce base made by reducing sugar and vinegar, which can be used as a base for sweet and sour sauces and drinks. The choice of vinegar greatly affects the flavor, and variations in stock and spices can also be made. It can be used in a variety of dishes and drinks, including as a dip or salad dressing.
Gastrique is the culinary name for a sauce base with a reduction of sugar and vinegar. Caramelized over low heat, the vinegar and sugar, combined with a light broth, provide a base for citrus, fruit and other colorful sauces. Once the caramelization is complete, the reduction resembles a sticky syrup. The broth is used to dilute the syrup for better mixing with other ingredients to make a finished sauce.
In Italian cooking, agrodolce bears a striking resemblance to gastrique in that the sauce is typically of the sweet and sour variety. Other cuisines, both French and American, also use gastrique in recipes. Duck with orange, for example, uses the distinctive orange sauce as a base from which the dish takes its name. Tomato sauce with a vinegar and sugar reduction for its base is common on roast chicken in Europe and the Americas.
The vinegar used to create gastrique greatly affects the finished syrup, thus affecting the final sauce or sauces produced. Red wine vinegar and vincotto di vinegar, for example, have a strong raspberry or grape flavor suitable for chicken, pork, and seafood sauces. Cider vinegar produces a stronger-flavored gastrique, suitable for spicier dishes. Similarly, other vinegars will produce various flavor nuances that are worth considering.
Aside from the differences in vinegar flavors, further variations such as the choice of stock used to dilute the mixture or spices added during cooking also affect the finished sauce. Fresh fruit or fruit juices, for example, complement the flavor of red wine vinegar or vincotto di vinegar. Sauces based on this reduction are often used in red meat dishes. On the other hand, reductions made with cider vinegar, chiles and ground peppers offer a spicy flavor for white meats and poultry.
As a sauce or syrup base, gastrique offers almost unlimited possibilities for sweet and sour sauces and also alcohol-containing drinks. Any dish or drink recipe calling for a sweet and sour base, for which a vinegar and sugar reduction might be suitable, can be adapted for gastrique. Bloody Marys, margaritas, martinis, and some daiquiris are just a few examples of drinks that get an exotic twist when the syrup base is used instead of the sour mix. When mixed with fresh fruit or preserves, gastrique makes a unique and flavorful dip for breads, cheeses and other appetizers. Other uses include duck sauce, sweet and sour sauce for oriental dishes, drizzles for steak or pork chops, or salad dressings.
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