Gastrique (sp)?

I was asked the oter day to make a gastrique at work I have never heard if this term can anyone tell me the origin of this???
I have a basic idea of the components!!!

[chefjohnpaul]

The traditional use of gastric is to balance the acidity and sweetness in a sauce, French style sweet and sours utilize it. The traditional formula to my understanding is to carmelize 1 part sugar and add 2 parts vinegar, bring to a boil, remove from heat.

[cape chef]

Johnpaul is right. another way is to carmilize the suger with a lttle water then deglaze with a patuculer vinager and wine that is appropriate to the dish your preparing I.e duch with port and huckleberries would do well with balsamic vinager,red wine and port.also after you have gotton the reduction down to a sec you should the add your stock adjust seasoning ect.most gastrics are used for sauces for game and fowl

Thank you very much to both of you I thought I was on the right track.
I seem to be getting old and not remembering things I did years ago...

[catalinapr]

I tried to do the gastric the other day and my sugar keeps on hardening after I put in the acid. It becomes caramel!! =( I have made it before and I dont know why it wont work anymore. Its been a year, I am doing it wrong ofcourse. Can anyone help me understand why its not coming out?
thank you

[kuan]

Probably cooling the sugar too much? Use less sugar.

[cheflayne]

Initally after adding the vinegar the sugar will harden, just leave on heat and it will dissolve.

[koen]

can someone please explain why you use sugar in gastrique????
what do you use this for..to enrichen sauces,or as a marinade ...
i'm puzzled , because for me , gastrique is a basic ingredient to make a sauce bearnaise, and that doesn't include caramel.

[suplee]

koen,

i would review your bearnaise recipe again. if the vinegar/tarragon/chervil reduction is being called a gastrique then it is wrong.

[DanBrown]

I worked with a Chef in Kansas City, fresh out of culinary school and he'd gotten a Sous job. He made tarragon reduction without removing the stems. Am I nuts, or does this make sense for a reason I'm not seeing?

Gastrique doesn't seem to me that it has any place getting into your bearnaise, which will call for a reduction, but any reduction is not necessarily a gastrique.

I like using gastrique as a finishing sauce on fish that needs a touch of sweet and tart to round it out. It makes for nice presentations when used sparingly.

[suplee]

Dan is right, no Gastrique in a Bearnaise -- a Gastrique must have sugar and acid, typically vinegar.

As for making the reduction for Bearnaise with the stems, you could do it if you strain the Bearnaise and add fresh Tarragon before service which gives you a really nice green color on your Tarragon but I would imagine the stems would impart bitterness.

[DanBrown]

Originally Posted by suplee

Dan is right, no Gastrique in a Bearnaise -- a Gastrique must have sugar and acid, typically vinegar.

As for making the reduction for Bearnaise with the stems, you could do it if you strain the Bearnaise and add fresh Tarragon before service which gives you a really nice green color on your Tarragon but I would imagine the stems would impart bitterness.

Not just bitterness, but crunch too! He chopped the stems in with the tarragon, and they were too woody to loose much texture, even with the cooking process (maybe due to the acids, they seemed like rosemary stems). His bearnaise was undesireable to say the least.


And thanks suplee, appreciate the support coming from someone that teaches as well, that's an unusual measure of respect, and I really appreciate it.