Making Use Of Leftover Wine
When there’s something left of the wine that went great with last night’s dinner – don’t let it go to waste! As someone who took online cooking courses, you probably already know that wine can do much more than relax you after a long day. Here are some ways to make use of leftover wine:
Marinate meats
If your meat is missing some flavor, try marinating it with your leftover wine. A marinade will enhance the meat’s taste. For example, if you are cooking steak, you will need the following ingredients:
- 1/2 cup red wine
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 clove garlic
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1/4 teaspoon oregano
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon cumin
To make the marinade, Food.com suggests combining all the ingredients in a plastic food bag and putting it in the fridge for at least four hours.
Poach pears with it
To give your pears that extra burst of flavor, consider poaching them with wine. They will taste so sweet that you won’t be able to stop eating them. In addition to red or white wine, you will need:
- 2 1/4 cups sugar
- 2 cups water
- 1/2 cup orange juice
- 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 pears
Epicurious said to put the first seven ingredients in a large saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar breaks down. Then, throw your pears into the pan and simmer slowly until they are tender. Once your pears are soft to the touch, put them on a plate. Continue to boil the liquid for about 20 minutes. Pour the mixture over the pears and eat!
Stir it into tomato sauce
Whether you are making a tomato sauce for pasta or sloppy Joe’s, adding a splash of wine will give it a deeper and more delicious taste. If you don’t mind a stronger flavor, pour the wine over the tomato sauce just when it’s done cooking.
Use it as a salad dressing
Tired of the same old Italian or Caesar dressing? Make your next salad dressing with wine! Bonappetit suggests combining 1 teaspoon of red or white wine with 2 teaspoons wine vinegar and 1 teaspoon chopped shallot and letting the flavors blend for five to 10 minutes. Then, add 1/4 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons olive oil and 1/2 teaspoons of honey to the mixture.
