An English classic that made its way into the French repertoire via the aristocracy: redcurrant jelly with port, orange and lemon zest, and mustard. Sweet-and-sour, glossy and the traditional sauce with game pie and smoked ham.
Cumberland sauce
Sauce Cumberland
Cumberland sauce
Sauce Cumberland
Method
01
Zest
Cut the orange and lemon zest into very fine julienne, without the bitter white pith. Blanch briefly twice in water to temper the sharpness.
02
Juice
Squeeze the juice of both fruits.
03
Melt the jelly
Melt the redcurrant jelly over a low heat until liquid.
04
Combine
Stir the port, juice, mustard and ginger into the melted jelly.
05
Cool
Stir in the zest, season with cayenne pepper and salt, and leave to cool completely; the sauce becomes thicker and glossier as it cools.
Tips & notes
Melt the jelly over a low heat and don't let it boil: boiling breaks down the jelly structure and the sauce turns thin instead of firmly glossy as it cools. Keeps for 3–5 days, covered, in the fridge.
Chef's tip
Cumberland sauce is never served warm: it is meant as a cold, glossy accompaniment to cold meats and pies, a bit like a chutney but smoother and less sour. It is one of the few English sauces that has been fully adopted into the classic French repertoire.
Variations
- With pomegranate – Replace part of the juice with pomegranate juice for extra freshness.
- Without port – With extra orange juice for an alcohol-free version.
- With rosemary – Briefly infuse a sprig of rosemary for a herbal touch.
Contains:
Mustard
Sulphites
Serve with
- Game pie
- Smoked ham
- Terrine
- Foie gras
- Cold game
- Cheese board
| Calories | 284 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 2 g |
| Carbohydrates | 59 g |
| Fat | 3 g |
| Fibre | 5 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
