Red wine sauce

There is one thing I am sure of this holiday season: you must make this sauce. Its ingredient list seems complicated, but it's actually quite simple, and will transform your whipped-up-at-the-last-minute dinner into something gourmet.

Sébastien insists on red meat at least once a week, but as a cook, there's something inherently unsatisfying about serving a slab of meat you've essentially done nothing to. Throwing a steak in a frying pan and flipping it once is not my idea of talent. (Which is why, incidentally, I usually leave the boy to his own devices on red meat day.) But with this sauce, I've found my solution. You can serve it on white meat, on fish, even on potatoes for you vegetarians; but the ultimate pairing is definitely red meat.

Red Wine Sauce

Serves 4

4 shallots

1/2 bottle red wine

1 beef bouillon cube

1/2 cup water

2 tablespoons half and half (or heavy cream)

1 tablespoon corn starch (or flour, but corn starch is best)

olive oil

salt, pepper

1. Heat a spoonful of olive oil in a saucepan. Add shallots, salt and pepper to taste, and sautée until translucent and soft (about 5-7 minutes).
2. Add the red wine, the bouillon cube and the water. Cook over medium heat (very slow boil), stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced by half.
3. Stir the corn starch and the cream in a separate bowl, making sure there are no lumps.
4. Lower the heat to medium-low and add the cream mixture to the sauce. Cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, until the sauce reaches your desired consistency.
5. Serve immediately.

And voilà! No more boring meat. Bon appetit!