Ingredients

• 1 oz. butter
• ¼ cup shallots finely chopped
• ¾ cup Port
• ¼ cup red wine
• 1 cup demi-glace
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 sprig fresh thyme
• ¼ cup heavy cream (optional)

Preparation

Melt the butter in a saucepan and sauté the shallots briefly until translucent (3 min). Deglaze with the Port and red wines and reduce until most of the wine has cooked off (5-6 min). Add the demi glace, salt, pepper, bay leaf, and thyme and simmer for approximately 5-6 minutes (or until the sauce has thickened). Strain the sauce, add the heavy cream (if desired), and return to a simmer for a few minutes and serve. The optional heavy cream gives the sauce a richer color and additional flavor.

Reluctant Gourmet