Culinary gastrique reduction

[The Gauge]

I’d never heard of this, but I was asking a chef to share a soup recipe and amongst it was what he called a culinary gastrique reduction.

This comprised of a 2:2 ratio of vinegar and Demerara sugar
which is brought to the boil then simmered until it thickens and added to the soup in small quantities at a time.

Anyone familiar with this procedure?

[craigjm]

Its pretty much a highly concentrated sweet and sour sauce in its basic form. Its classically used in some French sauces such as duck a'la orange. Some chefs have recently started flavouring them for various other purposes but I have only ever used them like a stock pot cube for sauce. What soup is it?

[Mobile Chicane]

I was taught this by a Saucier (Sauce Chef).

1 part red wine vinegar to 1 part white sugar, boiled and reduced by half. Really lifts the flavour of any tomato-based dish.

[The Gauge]

craigjm said:

What soup is it?

Mobile Chicane said:

I was taught this by a Saucier (Sauce Chef).

1 part red wine vinegar to 1 part white sugar, boiled and reduced by half. Really lifts the flavour of any tomato-based dish.

Well that certainly fits as it was a tomato soup recipe.

[Discendo Discimus]

When I'm feeling proper posh and have some time on my hands I'll do it to elevate a spag bol.
Make sure you don't hover your head above the saucepan while it's reducing and take a big breath of the vinegar fumes, vile.

[The Gauge]

So what type of vinegar would be best for doing this with tomato soup?

[21TonyK]

Personally I prefer good sherry vinegar but any white or red wine would do. Just not malted. The quality of the vinegar is pretty much lost in all the salt and sugar you will be using.

[oddman]

Sweet and sour are two of the primary flavours. If these are not present in sufficient quantities, soup or sauce can taste a bit meh. So adding acid and/or sugar to a sauce can 'correct' or 'lift' it.

Along with salt (another primary flavour) and butter it's something chefs and experienced cooks do to make stuff taste better than most home cooks.

[dontlookdown]

Yes, I use a similar reduction to pep up tomato sauces for pasta, meatballs etc, and also for soups and stews generally. It intensifies the flavour nicely and is quick and easy to do.

[AndyTR]

I go 1:1 with sherry vinegar and white sugar and use it to balance out the flavour. Usually when braising with red wine, so in ragu, beef cheeks or short ribs. I like to add a little Modena Balsamic to tomato based soups, rather than a gastrique. A touch of Modena balsamic in caramelised onions works really well. Vinegar is really underused in home cooking. I don't use malt vinegar on anything other than F&C though.