Sunday, January 4, 2015

Red Pepper Velouté

This sauce is great to have around when you want to add some color and deep flavor to an otherwise too-neutral dish. For example, I made a particularly successful risotto tonight, partly because I threw in maybe a half cup of this good stuff.

1 large red bell pepper, chopped fine
1 large shallot, chopped fine
1 Tb flour
roughly 3/4 cup dry white wine
2 Tb olive oil
1 Tb balsamic vinegar
roughly 1/2 cup homemade chicken stock (optional, but desirable)
roughly 1/2 cup mild tomato sauce or purée (optional, but desirable)
salt
freshly ground black pepper

heavy-bottomed sauté pan or sauteuse, with cover
stick blender

Heat the saucepan over moderately high heat. Add the oil and the chopped pepper. Saute until slightly browned and giving off the characteristic "roasted red pepper" smell, about 5 min. Reduce heat to low. Stir in the shallot and cover. Sweat the shallot-pepper mixture until the shallots are soft and translucent, about more 5 min. Remove cover. Stir in the flour and cook for a couple of minutes. Stir in the wine, and the stock & tomato sauce, if using. Otherwise add some good water. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently. Adjust thickness with stock / water to taste, always starting with less and adding more if needed. You are aiming for a rather thin sauce. Simmer over lowest heat, covered, for another 5 min. Puree thoroughly with the stick blender. Again adjust thickness with stock / water if needed. Season with salt and pepper. If it needs more brightness, stir in a few drops of freshly squeezed lemon juice and/or Louisiana-style hot sauce. Will keep in fridge for up to a week.




No comments: