Red Plum and Raspberry Gastrique

J — Gastrique. What an unfortunate name for such a wonderful sauce style.

I discovered gastrique a few years ago in a recipe for Thyme Encrusted Salmon with Blackberry Gastrique, which we have done here. I never knew anything about that style of combining the acidity of vinegar and wine with the sweetness of fruit and sugar. What a delightful discovery. Since then, I’ve made it several times and branched out to figs and, now, red plums and raspberries.

Basically, you can make a gastrique from just about any fruity thing, including wine, stone fruit, citrus, berries, etc. I wanted to do figs again, but I was too late to make it a second time this season.

So, here’s the recipe for a gastrique with red plums and raspberries.

Red Plum and Raspberry Gastrique
Recipe type: Sauces
Author:
Prep time: 20 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Total time: 1 hour 5 mins
Serves: 1 cup
Ingredients
  • 1 cup fresh raspberries
  • 2 large red plums, very ripe
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup red wine vinegar
  • 1 Tbsp butter
  • 1 medium shallot, minced
  • ¼ cup dry red wine
  • Salt and pepper
Instructions
  1. In a food processor or blender, puree most of the berries, reserving a few to use as a garnish.
  2. Cut plums into medium chunks.
  3. To prepare gastrique: In a 1- to 2-quart pan, mix sugar with ¼ cup water; cook, uncovered, over medium-high heat until reduced to a thick caramel-colored syrup, 5 to 10 minutes. Remove from heat; carefully add vinegar.
  4. Return to low heat and stir until caramel is dissolved. Remove from pan and set aside. Rinse pan.
  5. In the same pan, melt butter over medium-high heat; add shallot and cook, stirring often, until just golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Add wine and cook, uncovered, until most of the liquid evaporates (watch carefully), about 5 minutes.
  6. Add berry puree and plum chunks. Simmer on low, uncovered, until plums are very soft, about 15 minutes. Whisk to break up plum chunks.
  7. Press mixture through strainer, discard solids, and return to rinsed pan.
  8. Add the gastrique to pan. Add salt and pepper to taste; set aside.
  9. Add fresh berries and warm before serving.
  10. Enjoy!

 

Enjoy this sauce on pork chops, halibut or chicken.