Red Wine Reduction: Pork Filet Mignon

This recipe makes a sweet, tangy, nutty sauce.

for 2 People
Ingredients:

100 ml Red Port Wine
30 ml Balsamic Vinegar
50 ml robust dry Red Wine (Madeira, Bordeaux)
half of a white onion, fine diced
125 ml Beef, Veal or Stock
salt and pepper
Roux from about 30:30 gram flour to butter ratio, caramel color

I make the Roux ahead of time because it takes about an hour to get to the nice caramel color. If you want to learn about roux try these sites:

Making a Roux: Barzelay.net
A Basic Saucemaker’s Skill..: Tigers & Strawberries
Making Roux: chow.com
How to make a Roux: Southern Gumbo Trail

Heat the pre-made roux in a water bath. So in a pan heat about 2 tablespoons of oil or lard over high heat. Toss in onions and fry until they are brown. Then add the balsamic vinegar and prepare to burn your eyes a little. Reduce over high heat until there isn’t much liquid left. Then add the port wine and cook it off over high heat until it is reduced to a third of the volume. Then add the red wine and cook for a few minutes more. When it is the right consistency (Maybe about 5 minutes. There is a lot of play as to the “right consistency". You’ll just have to try it out.) Then add the beef stock and reduce the sauce a little bit more (about 5 minutes). The beef stock mixture should be between simmering/ just at a boil. Taste for acidity. If it’s still to acidic, let the sauce simmer longer.

Before adding the roux, stir the roux to get a uniform mixture (you’ll notice the butter and roasted flour have separated). I know that some people advise to add the stock to the roux but I didn’t find any clumping problems with added a warm roux to a near boiling stock. By the teaspoon full, add the roux to the sauce and stir vigorously. After about 3 teaspoons, if you don’t want to keep the onions, you may want to strain the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Now that the sauce is strained add the rest of the roux teaspoon-wise, until you arrive at the desired thickness. Dip a spoon into the finished sauce and watch it slide off the spoon to judge the thickness.

What if it’s too sweet:

Sweetness comes from the port wine and a little bit from the balsamic vinegar. You might want to reduce the amount of port wine and substitute that volume for more red wine.

What if it’s too acidic:

The second time I made this sauce I changed to a balsamic vinegar that was much strong than the first attempt. I was left with a very acidic sauce but just the right sweetness. If you know you are using a very good balsamic vinegar, be sure use less to avoid having an over powering acidic taste. If it’s too late, then letting it simmer for a while before adding the roux should weaken the acidity.

Multiplying the recipe

Just remember the time to reduce the liquid will increase and adding the balsamic vinegar is not a linear function so, for example, when making the recipe for 8 people add about 80-100 ml of balsamic vinegar instead of 120 ml.