Making this delicious Bordelaise Sauce is a bit of a labor of love, but the flavors are well worth it. I made it recently to serve with Filet Mignon and it was spectacular!
Tip : You can purchase demi glace in packets on line or at most grocery stores. Knorr's is a good brand for this. Otherwise, you might be able to find demi glace, frozen, if you live near a good butcher. If all else fails, you can substitute demi glace with Campbell's Beef Consommé.
Ingredients
- 6 whole shallots peeled and finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tbpn unsalted butter
- 1 tbpn red wine vinegar
- 2 cups Bordeaux or Burgundy wine
- 1 sprig thyme or 1 teaspoon dried
- 2 tbsp smoked link sausage cut into 1" to 2" lengths
- 3/4 cup Demi Glace
- 8 leaves young tarragon
- 1 small teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp unsalted butter
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients before starting the recipe.
- Melt 1 1/2 tablespoon of butter in a medium sized sauce over medium heat. Add chopped shallots and sweat the shallots until they are soft. About 5 minutes under a covered lid on medium heat.
- Add red wine vinegar and deglaze the pan and reduce the vinegar until totally evaporated, about 2-3 minutes with the pan uncovered.
- Add 1 1/2 cups of the red wine and reduce the wine by half, skimming occasionally, about 20 minutes on medium heat.
- Add thyme, bacon and demi-glace and reduce by half. About 20 minutes.
- Add 1/4 cup of the remaining wine and the tarragon and bring sauce to a boil. Boil for about 1 minute until the sauce becomes light textured deep colored sauce. Whisk in the Dijon mustard.
- Strain the sauce into a small sauce pan and press the solids in the sieve to extract as much of the vegetables as you can. Scrape the bottom of the sieve into the sauce. This will give the sauce a bit more body. Taste and season with salt and black pepper.
- Add the remaining 1/4 cup of wine, the remaining butter and a couple of tablespoons of water and set aside until ready to use.
