Chardonnay Shallot Sauce
A splash of white wine is a great way to deglaze a pan and makes a delicious sauce for sautéed chicken, fish or vegetables. But even if you haven’t sautéed something, you can make a delicious pan sauce with shallots. This is not a creamy sauce, but more of tangy, bright addition to whatever you serve it with—perhaps some grilled seafood or vegetables. While you could use any white wine, a crisp Chardonnay is perfect for this sauce—especially if it’s the same local Chardonnay that you’ll be drinking with your meal. I like to use an unoaked, stainless steel-fermented Chardonnay with hints of green apple, which is very easy to find in Santa Barbara County. Summer is the time to find locally grown shallots at the market, and although you could substitute onion or garlic, shallots are the ideal flavor pairing with the wine. Also, don’t use a nonstick skillet when making this sauce. You want a surface that will get that golden brown fond that adds so much flavor to the sauce.
Chardonnay Shallot Sauce
Ingredients
- Olive oil
- 2 small shallots, finely chopped
- ¾ cup Chardonnay, or other white wine (Santa Barbara County Chardonnay recommended)
- 3 tablespoons butter
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Capers, parsley, basil or other fresh herbs (optional)
Instructions
- Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom of a skillet and sauté the shallots over medium heat until golden—you should have some slightly brown bits sticking to the surface of your skillet.
- Add the wine carefully (it may splatter), and with a wooden spatula scrape the residue off the bottom of the pan. Let the wine cook and reduce by about half. Then add the butter and stir or whisk until it is incorporated and slightly emulsified.
- Add salt and pepper to taste. You can also add capers or freshly minced herbs for additional flavor. Serve with something just off the grill or anything you like.
