Vermouth Sauce Food

MUSHROOM-STUFFED PORK CHOPS WITH VERMOUTH SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400 degrees F and arrange a rack in upper third.
• Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels and put on a cutting board. Using a small paring knife, cut a 2-inch opening horizontal to the cutting board, halfway up the meat in each chop. Move the knife back and forth in a fan motion to open the interior of the pocket without significantly widening the opening. (You don't want to pierce through the meat but simply create a pocket for the stuffing.) Brush the exterior of the chops with oil, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste, and set aside until the stuffing is ready.
• Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large ovenproof frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil shimmers, add the shallots and cook until softened. Add the mushrooms, season well with salt and freshly ground black pepper, and cook, stirring rarely, until browned, about 10 minutes. Stir in the parsley and remove to a plate to cool slightly. Wipe out the frying pan and return it to the stove over medium-high heat. Taste the stuffing and adjust the seasoning, as necessary. Stuff half of the mushroom mixture into the pocket of each chop. If the filling is falling out, secure the chops closed with toothpicks.
• Add the remaining 1 tablespoon oil to the pan over medium heat. When the oil shimmers, arrange the stuffed chops in the pan and cook until browned, about 4 minutes. Flip the chops to the other side and transfer the pan to the oven. Bake until the pork is cooked and an instant-read thermometer, inserted into the center of the chops, registers 160 degrees F, about 12 to 15 minutes.
• Remove the pan from the oven and set the pork aside on serving plates to rest. Return the pan to the stove over medium heat and add the vermouth. Cook, scraping the bits from the bottom of the pan with a spatula, until the alcohol smell is cooked off and is slightly reduced, about 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat, add the butter, and let it melt. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning. Drizzle the sauce over the chops and serve with a gratin, mashed potatoes, or polenta, if desired.

CHICKEN FRICASSEE WITH VERMOUTH

Steps:

• Sprinkle the chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
• Heat the butter in a skillet and add the chicken pieces skin side down. Cook over moderate heat about one minute without browning.
• Scatter the onion over all and cook 30 seconds. Add the garlic and stir it around. Cook the chicken about four minutes, turning the pieces often in the butter.
• Sprinkle the flour over all, turning the pieces so that they are evenly coated. Add the vermouth, chicken broth, bay leaf and thyme. Cover and cook over moderate heat about 20 minutes.
• Meanwhile, bring two batches of water to the boil for the carrots and leeks. Drop the carrots into one batch, the leeks in the other. Let the carrots simmer about one minute and drain. Let the leeks simmer about four minutes.
• When the chicken has cooked for a total of 30 minutes (start to finish), add the carrots, leeks and cream. Let simmer about two minutes. Serve with rice.

SCALLOPS IN VERMOUTH-CREAM SAUCE

Steps:

• Coat the scallops with flour, dusting off excess.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Add the scallops and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, till they are opaque, and then remove from skillet.
• Add vermouth to the skillet and scrape the pan to loosen bits stuck to the bottom.
• Bring to a boil and reduce the volume of liquid by half.
• Stir in cream, salt, and pepper and turn heat down to low.
• Add the scallops back to the pan and cook till heated through.

PARTRIDGES WITH ORANGE AND VERMOUTH SAUCE

Steps:

• Sprinkle the partridges, inside and out with half the salt and peper.
• In a large saucepan, melt all but 1 Tbsp butter over moderate heat.
• When the foam subsides, add the partridge halves and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until they are lightly and evenly browned.
• Cover the pan and cook for a further 12 to 15 minutes on each side, or until the partridges are tender when pierced with the point of a knife.
• Using tongs, or two large spoons, transfer the partridge halves to a warmed serving dish.
• Keep warm while you make the sauce.
• TO MAKE THE SAUCE: Pour off all but 1 Tbsp of fat from the pan.
• Add the onion and fry, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until it is soft and translucent, but not brown.
• Pour in the chicken stock and vermouth and add the remaining salt and pepper.
• Increase the heat to high and boil for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced by about one-third.
• Reduce the heat to moderate and add the orange juice, cream and chives.
• Gradually stir in BEURRE MANIE*, a small piece at a time.
• (*BEURREMANIE is kneaded butter. Kneaded butter is used to thicken stews and sauces.) Mix together equal amounts of softened butter, from the reserved 1 Tbsp and flour (soften the butter with a fork, to incorporate the flour).
• Add in small knobs to the boiling liquid.
• Whisk constantly until the butter melts and sauce is thickened.
• Continue cooking stirring constantly, for 2 or 3 minutes, or until the sauce is smooth and thick and hot- but not boiling.
• Remove the pan from the heat and pour the sauce over the partridges.
• Garnish with the orange slices and serve immediately.

SAUCE VINAIGRETTE AU VERMOUTH (VERMOUTH VINAIGRETTE FOR SALADS)

Steps:

• Put the mustard and vinegar in a mixing bowl and add the vermouth while beating with a wire whisk.
• Add the oil gradually, beating vigorously with the whisk. Add the shallots, salt and pepper to taste.

CORNISH HENS WITH SWEET VERMOUTH GARLIC GLAZE

Steps:

• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 450°F. Pat hens dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast, cut sides down, in a large heavy shallow baking pan (1 inch deep) until just cooked through, about 30 minutes.
• While hens roast, simmer vermouth, garlic, thyme, and 1/2 cup water, uncovered, in a 2-quart heavy saucepan until garlic is soft, about 15 minutes. Discard thyme. Mash garlic into sauce with a fork and simmer until reduced to a glaze (about 3 tablespoons). Brush glaze onto hens and roast 5 minutes more. Pour remaining 1/2 cup water into saucepan, swirling to dissolve any remaining glaze, and reserve.
• Transfer hens to a serving dish and let stand, loosely covered with foil, 5 minutes. Straddle baking pan over 2 burners, then add reserved liquid from saucepan and deglaze baking pan by boiling over moderate heat, scraping up brown bits, until reduced slightly. Season pan juices with salt and pepper and pour over hens.