The simplest and perhaps most widely used demi-glace derivative: demi-glace with Madeira, reduced and finished with butter. Nutty, lightly sweet and indispensable with sweetbreads, ham and veal.
Madeira sauce
Sauce madère
Madeira sauce
Sauce madère
Method
01
Reduce
Bring three-quarters of the Madeira to the boil with the shallot and reduce to about two tablespoons.
02
Sauce
Add the demi-glace and simmer gently for 10 minutes until the sauce coats a spoon. Skim off any scum.
03
Strain
Pass through a fine sieve.
04
Finish
Stir in the remaining Madeira off the heat: that fresh splash restores the aroma that evaporated during cooking.
05
Mount with butter
Whisk in the ice-cold butter until the sauce gleams and season with salt and pepper.
Tips & notes
Use a genuine Sercial or Verdelho, not salted cooking Madeira. And always add part of the Madeira uncooked at the end; only that way does the characteristic aroma stay in the sauce. Keeps for 3–4 days in the fridge, and freezes very well (up to 3 months); the flavour often deepens further the next day.
Chef's tip
Madère is the template for the whole family of fortified-wine sauces: port, sherry, marsala and vin jaune follow exactly the same method. Remember the ratio: about a quarter wine to three-quarters demi-glace, and always a fresh splash at the end.
Variations
- Sauce au porto – With ruby port, slightly sweeter, for duck and foie gras.
- Sauce Périgueux – Madère with chopped truffle.
- Sauce marsala – With dry marsala, for veal and mushrooms.
Contains:
Milk
Sulphites
Serve with
- Sweetbreads
- Veal oyster cut
- Ham
- Poultry liver
- Beef tenderloin
- Mushrooms
| Calories | 118 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 4 g |
| Carbohydrates | 7 g |
| Fat | 8 g |
| Fibre | 0 g |
Estimated values, calculated from standard nutritional values per ingredient.
