Freezing Sauce

[Dewi]

Just made a superb batch of Madeira sauce, as I'm having a trial run tonight on my Christmas day dish of Tournedos Rossini.

Made about a pint but I only need a third of that for tonight's two person trial.

Can I freeze the rest and thaw it out on Christmas day ?

[Pea Pod]

Should be alright Dewi. Lets face it, if it wasn`t for the freezer half the population wouldn`t be eating.

[wired]

Yes,you can freeze most sauces,small amounts can be frozen in an ice cube tray.Lunch sounds lovely any chance of the sauce recipe?

[Dewi]

Recipe as requested. Enjoy !

Works best with rich madeira rather than a dry variety

Try Blandy's Duke of Clarence - �10 in Oddbins

Madeira Sauce 1 1/2 cups

1 tsp. butter
1 shallot, finely minced
2 thyme sprigs, fresh
4 oz. madeira
12 oz. rich beef stock
1/4 cup flour
1 tbs. melted butter, warm
salt
fresh ground black pepper

Combine melted butter and flour to form "roux", reserve.
Melt 1/2-teaspoon butter in a small saucepan.
Add shallots and thyme sprig, saut� briefly, do not brown.
Add Madeira, bring to a simmer and cook until liquid is reduced by 1/2.
Add beef stock and bring to simmer.
Reduce heat and stir in the roux.
Simmer over low heat while whisking until sauce thickens.
If sauce becomes too thick, add some more beef stock.
Season with salt and pepper.
Strain and reserve until service.

[wired]

Thanks so much Dewi,Tournedos Rossini is one of my all time favourite dishes but I've never tried to cook it before,will probably try it for New Years day

[Dewi]

Hi Wired! :-)

Here is my usual recipe, if you try it be sure to use unsalted butter as tother kind goes black and nasty at these temperatures.


Tournedos a la Rossini Serves 2

3 Tbsp. butter
2 slices pate
2 thick slices of fillet steak (Tournedos)
2 slices of bread, without crusts and trimmed to the size of the tournedos
salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, sliced thinly
about 1/2 cup Madeira sauce
2 mushrooms, sliced thinly (optional)

In a small skillet melt a Tbs of butter and gently saut� the pate slices.
Remove and set aside.

In a separate skillet melt a Tbs of butter and fry the white bread slices until nicely browned on both sides.

Season the tournedos with salt and pepper.
In the original skillet heat together a Tbs of butter and the olive oil and saut� the garlic just until it begins to brown.
With a slotted spoon remove and discard the garlic.

Place the tournedos in the same skillet and cook over a high heat for 4 minutes each side so that the meat is nicely browned on the exterior and medium inside.

Place each tournedo on a toasted bread crouton.

In the skillet in which the meat was fried, briefly saut� the mushrooms.
On each tournedo lay a slice of the pate and spread the mushrooms over the top.

Heat the pan juices and add the madeira sauce, stirring together well.
Pour some of the sauce over the meat and serve immediately.

Serve the remaining sauce separately.

[wired]

Dewi, what can I say? apart from thanks that is,am starting to think of doing this for Christmas now,mustn't keep salivating over the keyboard!