Sauce Vin Rouge is our mother-ship sauce, good on all matters of protein. When seasoning this sauce, or any sauce, keep in mind that it won’t be consumed like a soup, so go ahead and be relatively liberal with the salt.

　　

Ingredients

Makes 2 cups (500 ml)

　　1/2 cup (55 g) sliced French shallots

　　1 small red beet, peeled and thickly sliced

　　2 cups (500 ml) dry red table wine

　　2 tablespoons cheap-ass balsamic vinegar

　　1 bay leaf

　　2 cups (500 ml) Beef Shank Stock (page 249)

　　3 tablespoons unsalted butter

　　Salt

　　1 teaspoon pepper

　　

Step 1

In a small saucepan, mix together the shallots, beet, wine, vinegar, and bay leaf. Bring to a boil over high heat and reduce by half. Add the stock and continue to boil until reduced by half.

　　

Step 2

Whisk in the butter and season generously with salt and with the pepper. Serve right away. Or, let cool, transfer to a tightly capped container, and refrigerate for up to a week or freeze for up to a month.

　　Reprinted with permission from The Art of Living According to Joe Beef by Frédéric Morin, David McMillan & Meredith Erickson, copyright © 2011. Published by Ten Speed Press, a division of Random House, Inc.