A different menu We prepare recipes with vermouth

Vermouth has become synonymous with sitting in the midday sun on a terrace and enjoying an aperitif with friends. It is a very special drink, with a very particular flavor and which, for some time now, has also become a highly appreciated ingredient in cooking. Being a derivative of wine, vermouth goes very well with all kinds of ingredients, from fish to red meat, and will also provide a unique aroma that your guests will like.

In this article we want to share with you some recipes in which vermouth has a starring role, so that you can surprise your guests and enjoy this drink that is so much ours.

Mussels with white vermouth

Mussels with white vermouth are an ideal starter for a good Sunday lunch. They are very good and the sauce will make more than one slice the plate and leave it very clean.

To make these mussels you will need:

– 1 kg of mussels

– 125 ml of white vermouth

– Olive oil

– 2 leeks

– 3 cloves of garlic

– Laurel (1 leaf)

– Black peppercorns

– Salt

The first step is to clean the mussels, with a knife clean the beards and remove any remains attached to the shell. Then, you have to rinse them well with water and reserve them.

Next, cut off both ends of the leek. This part is not used. Cut the rest of the leek into pieces as small as possible. Continue peeling and chopping the garlic and fry everything in a pan with a little oil over low heat. When they begin to be transparent add the mussels and season everything with salt, pepper and bay leaf. Add the white vermouth and continue cooking over low heat until the mussels open. 

To serve, remove the top of the shell and serve on a platter. Leave the sauce in the pan and, over low heat, let it reduce everything, since the mussels will have released water. When the sauce has reduced, pour the sauce on top and they will be ready to serve.

Red vermouth chicken

Chicken meat, thanks to its neutral flavor, is one of the meats that best combines with any sauce made with liquor. In this case, the red vermouth will give the meat an intense and slightly bitter flavor, which you will surely love.

To make this meat you will need:

– 1.5 kg of chopped chicken

– 300 ml of red vermouth

– 2 red onions

– 8 cloves of garlic

– Salt

– black pepper

– Olive oil

The first step to make this simple and delicious recipe will be to season the chicken. Next, in a frying pan over low heat, put the pieces of chicken meat and the 8 cloves of garlic. You have to let the meat brown well on the outside. Once it is ready, remove the meat and garlic and leave them in a bowl.

Julienne the onions as thinly as possible and fry them in the same pan, using the oil from the chicken and the garlic. When they are very tender and almost caramelized, add the chicken and garlic. 

Next, add the vermouth. It does not have to be the best vermouth in your house, but it is advisable to use good vermouths, since the chicken will take on a lot of flavor. Once added, let it simmer until the chicken is tender. If, at any point, you notice that the chicken is getting dry, add a little water or more vermouth.

Once finished, serve the chicken on a plate with the sauce. The sauce can be served as is, with the pieces of onion and garlic, it can be strained or it can be passed through the chinois to thicken it.

Clam chowder with vermouth

White vermouth, like white wine, is a perfect ingredient to prepare seafood dishes. In this case, a classic clam chowder will be transformed thanks to the spicy touch of the vermouth.

For this cream you will need:

– 400 g of clams

– 60 ml dry white vermouth

– 60 ml of liquid cream

– 50 g of butter

– Cornstarch or rice flour

– 1 L of fish broth

– 5 g sweet paprika

The first thing is to clean the clams well and open them. To open them, cook them in a large, covered pot over high heat. Once opened, you must remove them and strain them. Save the broth from the clams and remove all the shells.

In another saucepan over low heat, add the butter and four tablespoons of cornstarch, one per guest. Before the flour takes color, add the fish broth and cook for 15 minutes, until it binds and forms a consistent cream. Add the clam broth and, if you like, a teaspoon of paprika.

When serving, add the white vermouth, the cream and the clams in a bowl for each of the diners. 

If you don’t like clams very much, this recipe can also be made with mussels and oysters.

Sweet and sour duck breast with red berries

Another classic recipe to which the vermouth gives a totally new flavor. Duck magret combines very well with sweet flavors and in this case, with the bittersweet of red fruits and vermouth.

For this recipe you will need:

– 2 duck breasts of 600 g each

– A golden apple

– 10 g cinnamon powder

– 4 tablespoons of raspberries

– Flour

– Maldon Salt

for the sauce

– 100 ml of red vermouth

– 300 ml of vinegar

– 200 ml Port

– 100 ml of raspberry puree

– 150 g of butter

Start by removing the core of the apple and cutting it in half, into thin slices. Sprinkle cinnamon and flour on the apple slices. Fry the apple in a frying pan with a little oil.

In another pan, cook the magret: 5 minutes for the part with the fat and 2 for the other. Once ready, cut the meat into very thin slices. 

For the sauce, put all the ingredients, except the butter, in a saucepan and boil everything over medium heat until the ingredients reduce to a third of their volume. Then add the butter little by little and stir constantly until you have a thick and shiny sauce.

To serve, place the duck breast strips around the plate, distribute the apple in the center forming a crown. In the center, place a teaspoon of raspberries. Pour the sauce in a stream over the apple and raspberries. To finish, put a little Maldon salt on the meat.