Preiselbeersauce (Warm Lingonberry Wine Sauce)

April 8, 2011

Preiselbeersauce (Warm Lingonberry Wine Sauce) - kvalifood.com

A red wine and stock sauce with shallots, spices, and whole lingonberries folded in at the end. This is the traditional warm Austrian lingonberry sauce, served with game, roast pork, and poultry.

Ingredients

Serves 4

200 g lingonberries, from a jar (Wildpreiselbeeren), drained of excess liquid
2 shallots (~40 g), finely diced
20 g butter (~1.5 tbsp)
200 ml dry red wine
250 ml beef stock
75 ml orange juice (~1 orange)
1 strip orange zest (optional)
1 whole clove
1 bay leaf
salt, to taste
black pepper, to taste
1 tsp cornstarch mixed with 1 tbsp cold water (optional, if sauce needs thickening)

Directions

Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook, stirring, until softened but not browned (2-3 minutes).
Pour in the red wine and let it bubble until reduced by about half (3-4 minutes).
Add the beef stock, orange juice, orange zest (if using), clove, and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer and cook uncovered for 10 minutes, until the liquid has reduced by roughly a third.
Remove and discard the clove, bay leaf, and orange zest.
Stir in the lingonberries and simmer gently for 3-5 minutes - just enough to heat them through without breaking them down completely.
Taste and season with salt and pepper. If the sauce is too thin, stir in the cornstarch slurry and simmer 1 minute until thickened.
Serve warm alongside game, roast pork, or poultry.

Notes

Use jarred wild lingonberries (Wildpreiselbeeren), not cranberries. Lingonberries are smaller, more tart, and hold their shape better in a sauce.
For a richer sauce, use a full-bodied red wine (Austrians often use Blaufraenkisch or Zweigelt).
Leftover sauce keeps refrigerated for 2-3 days. Reheat gently.
For a smoother sauce, strain the liquid through a sieve before adding the lingonberries.