Gastrique - Classic French Sauce

Video

Images

Ingredients/ Instructions

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup black currant preserves
• 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 small shallot - sliced
• salt and cracked pepper to taste
• 1 tsp olive oil

Instructions

Step 1

Add 1 tsp olive oil in a pan on medium heat, brown the shallot slices until a little light brown.

Step 2

Add a pinch of salt and cracked pepper,
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar,
1/2 cup water,
1/2 cup black currant preserves. Mix well.
Reduce on med-low heat by about 1/3. It should take about 15 minutes.
Use a bamboo stick to level.

Step 3

Strain to get the sauce. Drizzle some salt in the sauce. Give it a mix.

Comments

• John - Fri 05 Feb 2010 @ 14:35

  This video recipe produced for About.com is my take on a classic French sauce, the Gastrique. In its most basic form it’s simply a caramelized sugar and vinegar reduction. The modern Gastrique is usually a vinegar reduction combined with some type of fruit, either fresh, or in jams and preserves. The reason for the “Simple Complexity” in the title is the fact that this sauce is ridiculously easy to make, yet the number of potential combination is virtually infinite.

• John - Fri 05 Feb 2010 @ 14:35

  The complex layers of flavors that can be achieved by mixing and matching different fruits and vinegars is what makes this such a fun sauce to make and serve. You could use the exact same technique you’ll see in the video and make a new version every time you serve this for the rest of your life. By the way, if you have any smoked duck breast laying around, the combination of Black Currant preserves and aged Balsamic vinegar I used was perfect. Enjoy!