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Yes, I know, a rich Bolognese sauce, a hearty stew.. We all know the basic, general kinds of dish into which a not-very-good bottle can add body and texture. But do any of you have specific recipes developed just for such a discovery? I seem to have a number of filtered LBVs that I can't be bothered drinking and will only really be useful in cooking.

I created a recipe for Seared Scallops with Port reduction, but it works better with an acidic tawny Port such as Sandeman's 20-yr old.

Glenn E. wrote:I created a recipe for Seared Scallops with Port reduction, but it works better with an acidic tawny Port such as Sandeman's 20-yr old.

Sounds lovely. But yes, probably an LBV reduction would be overpowering in that one!

I think that a whole bottle of port in a dish may present difficulties. Too much sugar for my taste. I have always fancied trying (but never have) port jellies and the like which the victorians were so fond of feeding to invalids. Thankfully an open bottle of port seems to keep for ages for the purposes of cooking. I have used a bit at a time over several weeks.

I seem to remember a thread on port cocktails, you could try that but I would suggest keeping a bucket handy...

However it does have to be a pretty catastrophic bottle for me not to push it past the tonsils.

LGTrotter wrote:I think that a whole bottle of port in a dish may present difficulties. Too much sugar for my taste. I have always fancied trying (but never have) port jellies and the like which the victorians were so fond of feeding to invalids. Thankfully an open bottle of port seems to keep for ages for the purposes of cooking. I have used a bit at a time over several weeks.

I seem to remember a thread on port cocktails, you could try that but I would suggest keeping a bucket handy...

However it does have to be a pretty catastrophic bottle for me not to push it past the tonsils.

I don't want to use the whole bottle at once. And I also have them open and next to the cooker for a while.
These aren't catastrophic, just far too nyangy to bother with. They're simply not nice.
I wondered merely whether you use them in specific recipes or just a dash here (cornflakes) and there (cheese on toast).

djewesbury wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:I created a recipe for Seared Scallops with Port reduction, but it works better with an acidic tawny Port such as Sandeman's 20-yr old.

Sounds lovely. But yes, probably an LBV reduction would be overpowering in that one!

I just remembered... I have a recipe for Port Poached Pears that's pretty fantastic. But that's a dessert.

Glenn E. wrote:

djewesbury wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:I created a recipe for Seared Scallops with Port reduction, but it works better with an acidic tawny Port such as Sandeman's 20-yr old.

Sounds lovely. But yes, probably an LBV reduction would be overpowering in that one!

I just remembered... I have a recipe for Port Poached Pears that's pretty fantastic. But that's a dessert.

Post it.

I once created a very interesting Port reduction. The recipe is as follows:

1. Pour 375ml of Croft LBV 2004 into your wife's favourite saucepan that she has owned for around 25 years.

2. Turn on the gas.

3. Fall asleep watching TV.

4. Wake up to the smell of burning and a house full of blue smoke.

5. Try to think of a plausible excuse as to why your wife's favourite saucepan now has a 1cm thick crust of almost pure carbon welded to the base.

6. Give up trying to clean it off and throw it in the bin.

7. Wait a few weeks.

8. When it comes, answer the obvious question honestly.

9. Be prepared for the incident to be mentioned every time you approach the cooker with a bottle of wine.

DRT wrote:I once created a very interesting Port reduction [!]

At least you posted all the steps, so we can follow your method.

djewesbury wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:

djewesbury wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:I created a recipe for Seared Scallops with Port reduction, but it works better with an acidic tawny Port such as Sandeman's 20-yr old.

Sounds lovely. But yes, probably an LBV reduction would be overpowering in that one!

I just remembered... I have a recipe for Port Poached Pears that's pretty fantastic. But that's a dessert.

Post it.

Hmm. It isn't in my Dropbox folder, so it must be in a cookbook at home. I'll have to look for it. Probably in my Dude Food cookbook.

Glenn E. wrote:Probably in my Dude Food cookbook.

But of course

djewesbury wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:Probably in my Dude Food cookbook.

But of course

No, really.

Glenn E. wrote:

djewesbury wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:Probably in my Dude Food cookbook.

But of course

No, really.

Oh I take it back! I just presumed that you were the Dude in question.

djewesbury wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:

djewesbury wrote:

Glenn E. wrote:Probably in my Dude Food cookbook.

But of course

No, really.

Oh I take it back! I just presumed that you were the Dude in question.

Well the cookbook was a gift, so at the time I was the Dude in question.

Lots of good (and easy) recipes in that cookbook. I highly recommend it.

[quote="DRT"]I once created a very interesting Port reduction. The recipe is as follows:

I have produced a similar result with different ingredients a couple of times.

Last year I made jelly with Japanese quince and most of a bottle of Croft Purple Velvet, it's delicious.

I have a Cruz '89 awaiting the same fate, though I'm hoping not to quite match DRT's result. I haven't researched an optimum Port (or Port and wine) reduction, but if anyone has a favourite to recommend, please do.

PhilW wrote:I have a Cruz '89 awaiting the same fate, though I'm hoping not to quite match DRT's result. I haven't researched an optimum Port (or Port and wine) reduction, but if anyone has a favourite to recommend, please do.

I take it that the Cruz '89 has already been tried and found wanting?

AHB wrote:

PhilW wrote:I have a Cruz '89 awaiting the same fate, though I'm hoping not to quite match DRT's result. I haven't researched an optimum Port (or Port and wine) reduction, but if anyone has a favourite to recommend, please do.

I take it that the Cruz '89 has already been tried and found wanting?

Indeed. Two further bottles await a probable cooking fate.

Not quite cooking but here goes.

I have been suffering from a cold which has lingered rather, having had the usual suggestions of toddys and an unusual one of hot ginger cider from an auld fella, I found the following recipe in 'The wine quotation book'.

Garlic Port;

Chop a pound of garlic, put it into a litre measure of old port, and let it macerate for twenty days. Begin with half a liqueur glass every evening before the soup course, then slowly increase the dose to one or two liqueur glasses. This beverage is a sovereign remedy for chronic bronchitis.

Toulouse-Lautrec; L'Art de la cuisine.

Ah, but it also makes you shrink to 4 ft 8 in tall.

Can Owen tell us whether this has worked? And what Old Port he used?

djewesbury wrote:Can Owen tell us whether this has worked? And what Old Port he used?

Patience, the 20 day maceration has only just started. How can he possibly tell you if it has worked yet?

AHB wrote:Patience, the 20 day maceration has only just started. How can he possibly tell you if it has worked yet?

The shippers can tell us, thirty years before it should be drunk but only a few minutes after it has gone on sale, that a vintage is the best since 1927.

I have to confess I have taken no steps towards making this. I see no reason why I can't give it a go. I am assuming that as the recipe is a French one when they say 'old' port they are not referring to fine vintages, but rather to any old port. I mean no disrespect to the French but they have a reputation for drinking younger, wood ports. And I can't imagine that I will be exploring the finer nuances with a cold and garlic.

I think I might scale back the recipe and begin with a half bottle of something. Having recently made chutney I can say that peeling and chopping large quantities of garlic is deeply boring (I suppose that I need not peel it as it is being strained). I shall just have to hope that the efficacy is not dose related and less than a litre will work.

I have a feeling this will taste terrible.

Here's my favorite port recipe. Start with two beef filet steaks. Smear generously with olive oil and sear on both sides till the beef is nearly done to medium rare. Leave in a warm oven while you get ready to make the port sauce. Deglaze the pan with a cup of ruby reserve or LBV Port. Reduce by about two thirds. Add 4 ounces of blue cheese and whisk till smooth and syrupy. Add the steaks back into the pan and let them marry with the sauce. Serve with plenty of crusty bread to soak up every last bit of the sauce...