“I cook with wine, sometimes I even add it to the food.” – W.C. Fields
From Italian Tagliatelle Bolognese (Don’t be surprised – Bolognese meat sauce is traditionally served with tagliatelle pasta, not with spaghetti!) to the French classic Coq Au Vin (Vin = wine, and you probably guessed it right!), wine plays an integral role in cooking, and for those moments you decide to add it to your food, Just Wines has some tips for you!
1. If you wouldn’t drink it, trust us, you wouldn’t eat it either!
Never cook with a wine that you would not drink. If it’s not good enough for drinking, it probably wouldn’t taste good in food. Imagine buying a pricey rack of lamb, preparing spring vegetables, sweating in the kitchen and wasting all of it… courtesy inferior wine!
2. Your marinades would become the talk of the town!
Not many people know that wine works so well in marinades because of its acidity, which acts as a ‘tenderiser’. Not to mention the tonne of flavour it adds to the dish.
3. For a taste like your favourite restaurant, practice ‘slow cooking’!
You don’t necessarily need a slow cooker, in fact, hardly any restaurant does. It’s however important to simmer and slowly reduce the wine so that the food absorbs all its flavour. Some recipes also call for reducing it with chicken/ meat/ fish to the point where the wine and flavourful pan juices thicken to an unbelievable sauce!
This upcoming family dinner, you truly cook with wine – and it will make all the difference!
