Beurre Rouge (Red Wine Butter Sauce)

Steps

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1. 1
   Prepare aromatic vegetables and herbs: mince shallot, mushroom, and carrot; gather juniper berries, peppercorns, crushed garlic, thyme, parsley stems, bay leaf, and tomato paste.
   ▶ ≈2:21
2. 2
   Pour 400 ml of red wine into a wide pan, add the prepared aromatics, herbs, tomato paste, sugar, and optional port wine.
   ▶ ≈3:18
3. 3
   Bring to a gentle boil over medium-high heat and reduce by at least half, about 10–15 minutes. This concentrates flavour and aroma; the mixture should smell floral and herbal, not like sour vinegar.
   ▶ ≈3:52
4. 4
   Strain the liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into another pan, pressing gently with a spoon to extract all the liquid; discard solids.
   ▶ ≈5:07
5. 5
   Return the strained liquid to heat on medium-low and gently reduce until about 2–3 tablespoons remain, with a syrupy consistency. The mixture should coat the back of a spoon; don't overreduce or it will become too thick.
   ▶ ≈5:37
6. 6
   Turn heat to very low or off. Remove cold butter from the fridge, cut into small cubes. For stability, you may add a splash of cream first.
   ▶ ≈6:28
7. 7
   Whisk continuously over medium-low heat, adding butter cubes a few at a time. Wait for each addition to emulsify before adding more; keep whisking constantly for a few minutes until all 150 g of butter is incorporated.
   ▶ ≈7:02
8. 8
   Remove from heat and keep very warm but not hot, to avoid breaking the emulsion. Taste and season generously with salt and plenty of black pepper.
   ▶ ≈8:14
9. 9
   If not serving immediately, transfer to a bain-marie (double boiler) to keep warm. Spoon over grilled fish or seared meat to serve.
   ▶ ≈9:47