Ideal uses of wine in cooking

Wine is used in Soup making

The taste & flavour of the soup is considerably enhanced by the addition of a little wine. A dessert spoon-full of wine is enough for 6 to 8 portions. White wines go very well with bisque and other fish based soup.

 Use of wine in salad

Wine may be added as a substitute for vinegar or lime juice to create tangy salad dressings.

 Wines are used for basting

Meat and poultry can effectively be basted with wine to a very good effect. Used very effectively for deglazing roasting pans for gravy. Champagne can be used to baste turkey and ham.

 Wines are used in sauces and stews.

Red wine may be added to almost all brown sauces, white wine for veloute sauce and its derivatives or to fish based sauces. Wine is also used to prepare reduction for béarnaise and hollandaise and its derivatives. Wine can also be used to flavour stews.

 Wine as a marinade

Old and tough meat can be marinated in wine by which tough fibre are made tender, wine also enhances the flavour in old meats.

 Poaching in wine

A good way to enhance the flavour for fish and meats during poaching is by adding a glass of wine to the poaching liquor. Flat fish can be poached entirely in white wine while whole salmon can be poached in court bouillon to which a glass of wine is added. Wine can also be used to poach fruits pears, apricot etc.

 Wines used in Desserts

Sweet wine and fortified wines such as port and also brandy are used extensively in desserts.