Coq au Vin: Easy Step-by-Step Recipe
Pratos-especiais
Glossário Culinário
Wine
The wine is the fermented beverage made from grape juice and a classic ingredient for adding acidity, aroma and complexity to sweet and savory dishes. In the pan, the alcohol evaporates during cooking, leaving fruity flavors and soft tannins that enhance meats, sauces and desserts.
Characteristics
In the kitchen, the types are divided by use:
- Dry red wine: full-bodied, ideal for red meats, stews and dark sauces.
- Dry white wine: light and fresh, used in risottos, fish, seafood and chicken.
- Madeira and Marsala wine: fortified and sweetish, the base of sauces for steaks and desserts.
- Sparkling wine: used in risottos and delicate desserts in place of white.
- Sweet and Port wine: reserved for syrups, poached fruit and chocolates.
As a general rule, cook with a wine you would drink: vinegary or low-quality wines ruin the dish.
Uses in the kitchen
Red wine is the base of coq au vin, beef stews, bordelaise sauce and marinades that tenderize tough cuts. White goes into risotto, sautéed shrimp and squid, fondues and for deglazing pans, lifting the caramelized flavors from the bottom. Madeira crowns steak with Madeira sauce, while sweet reds and Port appear in pears in wine, wine sago and syrups for ice cream.
Substitutions
For deglazing and adding acidity, white wine can be replaced with vegetable or chicken stock with drops of lemon or wine vinegar. Red wine in stews can be replaced with beef stock with a little whole grape juice, adjusting the salt. In sweet fortified sauces, use stock with brown sugar and spices, remembering the result will be less complex.
Fun facts
Deglazing with wine is an old French technique for making the most of the caramelized meat juices. A practical tip is to freeze leftover wine in ice-cube trays to use by the spoonful in recipes, avoiding waste. Add the wine at the start of cooking long dishes so the alcohol evaporates and the flavor rounds out; when flambéing, keep your face away and the lid nearby.
