Blueberry and Red Wine Sauce for Duck

This sauce was designed around a wine from Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard’s second label Quinta Cruz. This is a label that produces only wines from Portugal and Spain. The wine is Graciano, and is a wine that is savory first, then fruity. To me, the flavor profile is oil cured olives, oregano and marjoram, then a shovelful of really good farm dirt, finishing with blueberries. Now, this is my opinion but I am sticking with it. If you cannot find a wine from these grapes I suggest using a petite sirah.

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon shallot very finely diced

½ tablespoon fresh ginger, very finely diced

1 tablespoon high quality American alembic brandy such as Osocalis* Rare or XO, or cognac

2 2½-inch sprigs fresh oregano or marjoram

½-inch fresh thyme, leaves only, minced

1 small basket ripe blueberries**, washed

Salt and pepper to taste

½ cup Graciano or Petite Sirah

Blueberry vinegar (see recipe on site) or high quality red wine vinegar if, and as, needed

Grapeseed or sunflower seed oil as needed

1 tablespoon high quality European style/low water content butter, if you wish/it is needed.

METHOD:

Heat a 1 quart chef’s pan/1½ quart heavy bottom saucepan over medium-low heat. When the pan is well heated, film the bottom with oil and allow oil to heat through. Add one sprig of oregano/marjoram and cook in the oil, pressing down with a wooden spatula, until oil is fragrant with the smell of oregano. Remove and discard oregano.