Serve this slightly sweet, boozy sauce with beef or pork dishes. The cooled sauce can be stored in a medium freezer-safe resealable plastic food storage bag for up to 1 month. Adapted from “500 Best Sauces, Salad Dressings, Marinades & More,” by George Geary (Robert Rose, 2009). Makes about 3 cups.
Ingredients
3/4 cup cognac
3/4 cup dried cherries
2 cups homemade or store-bought low-sodium beef broth
3/4 cup heavy cream, at room temperature
1 teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Directions
Warm the cognac in a medium saucepan over low heat. Turn off the heat, then add the cherries and let them soak for 1 hour or until most of the liquid is absorbed.
Transfer the cherries and any remaining liquid to the bowl of a food processor or a blender. Puree for about 30 seconds, until smooth.
Heat the broth in the same saucepan (used to macerate the cherries) over high heat. Bring to a boil and cook for about 10 minutes, or until it has reduced by almost half.
Add the pureed cherries, cream, salt and pepper. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat and add the butter 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking each time until thoroughly incorporated. Serve warm; or let cool, then store flat in a freezer-safe resealable plastic food storage bag, leaving room for expansion.
Per 2-tablespoon serving: 65 calories, 1g protein, 3g carbohydrates, 4g fat, 2g saturated fat, 13mg cholesterol, 128mg sodium, 0g dietary fiber, 2g sugar
