The inspiration for this is in the classic fruit sauces for game, and is me playing in the savory kitchen with things normally found in the sweet side. Use this sauce on duck, pork, chicken, buffalo, or even beef. It will work great for any game as well. This recipe is the more refined version where the sauce is pureed and strained, with notes for a simpler, quicker, more rustic/casual version in the Chef’s Notes at the end. This recipe makes a fair amount of sauce and will use a full tub of berries. You could cut the recipe in half for just two people and have berries left over.
INGREDIENTS: 1 large shallot, peeled and minced 1 ounce cognac or brandy 1½ cups blueberries 1 tablespoon (or more if needed) sugar 1-2 tablespoons vinegar (more or less as needed depending on how tart the berries are) blueberry*(preferred), cider, or white balsamic vinegar ½ teaspoon fresh thyme, minced salt and pepper to taste Grapeseed oil or other neutral flavored as needed water as needed
METHOD:
In a large non-reactive bowl, lightly crush the berries with a fork or potato masher and sprinkle with the sugar. Allow to macerate 20 minutes or more. Heat a 1 quart chef’s pan or sauce pan over medium-low heat. When heated, lightly film the pan bottom with oil. When the oil is hot, add the shallots. Cook gently until shallots are translucent. Add the cognac, heat up, and then flame the cognac, allowing the alcohol to burn away and reducing the cognac entirely. Transfer the berry-sugar mash to the pan and toss to combine with the shallots.
Taste the berries. If they are quite tart, add a ½ tablespoon more sugar and gently mix in. You want the sauce to taste like blueberries, not like blueberry jam. Add the vinegar, and start to gently simmer the sauce. If the berries are not exuding any juices and the pan seems in danger of drying out, add ¼th cup of water. Simmer so the berries break down and thicken, around 20 minutes. After 10 minutes, add the thyme and season with salt and pepper. After 20 minutes, taste the sauce. It should taste of blueberries with a pleasant tart/sweet quality-neither jam nor vinegar with a slightly thicker texture. If the sauce is dense without liquid, add a little more water. Puree the sauce using a stick-mixer or blender on high for 2-3 minutes. Rinse the pan out, then strain the puree through a fine mesh sieve back into the pan. Taste the sauce for balance, and adjust as needed. The flavor should be berry foremost and then a balance between sweet and tart, and the sauce be the right consistency-just able to pour. If the sauce is too thin, cook down to the right consistency. If it is too thick, add a little warm water and stir in and heat to the right consistency. Use hot.
Chef’s Notes:
*Blueberry vinegar can be purchased online and in various stores, or you can make your own. It is, of course, perfect for this sauce, but it is a great “secret weapon” for things like red wine sauces (especially for merlot or cabernet sauces), barbecue sauces, marinades, and makes a wonderful vinaigrette for a blueberry salad with arugula and butter lettuces. I play with this sauce depending on what it is going on. Sometimes I use red wine with the berries-Santa Cruz Mountain Vineyard Touriga or Tempranillo work well here, as do Cabernet Francs or some Rhone type wines. I also like to add a few dry toasted peppercorns to the berries.
Quick and Simple Version
For a simpler version of this sauce, add water to the pan with the vinegar-around a ½ cup- and cook the sauce until softened. Add a little more water if the pan is running very low. Taste and adjust the flavors, then turn up the heat and quickly cook down the liquids in the pan to thicken the sauce, stirring while you do to prevent scorching the sauce. When the liquid has thickened, but not wholly evaporated, the sauce is ready. Serve with grilled pork or chicken.
Yield: Enough for 4 generous servings. At least.
Source: Chef Andrew E Cohen
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