A little different twist on red wine sauce with pepper and cream which gives a creamy and rich sauce.
Tips and variations
- Use a simple, dry red wine — Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot or Malbec work well. Never use sweet wine in the sauce.
- Deglaze the pan after the steak; the caramelised meat residue (fond) is full of flavour you don’t want to waste.
- Crush the peppercorns coarsely in a mortar — slightly larger pieces give more crunch and an interesting bite.
- Let the red wine reduce by almost half before adding the cream for a concentrated, deep flavour.
- Adjust the pepper heat to taste — start with a little and add more towards the end. The sauce should be warm, not burning.
🍷 Wine tips
Bordeaux (Merlot/Cabernet) — Pepper sauce on red wine is bold and flavourful — it pairs naturally with a good Bordeaux. Merlot-dominant wines from Pomerol or Saint-Émilion give rounded richness, while Cabernet-based wines from the Médoc provide more structure and tannin.
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Ingredients
Method
- Fry onion with crushed pepper in butter, add tomato paste towards the end
- Add red wine and let the sauce reduce to approx. half
- Add cream, water, veal broth and sugar
- Make the sauce thick with 1 teaspoon of maizena and 2 teaspoons of water which is stirred and added to the sauce.
Nutrition
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Let us know how it was!FAQ
Risotto requires a short-grain, high-starch rice variety such as Arborio, Carnaroli, or Vialone Nano. Carnaroli is considered the best as it holds its shape while releasing maximum starch for a creamy texture.
Adding hot stock gradually while stirring constantly encourages the rice to release its starch slowly, creating the characteristic creamy consistency. Adding cold stock or all at once will stop this process.
Risotto is ready when the rice is al dente with a slight bite in the center and the mixture flows slowly like lava when you tilt the pan. It should never be stiff or dry.