Madeira/3 recipes

Ochsenschwanzsuppe is the classic German oxtail soup. Slowly simmered oxtails build a rich beef stock, then puree with root vegetables and finish with Madeira.

Flourless walnut cake topped with a rich coffee cream made from dark chocolate, Madeira, and whipped cream. A European-style frozen dessert garnished with crystallized flowers for an elegant finish.

Turkey giblet gravy with white wine, Madeira, and mirepoix, deglazed with roasting pan drippings. A make-ahead Thanksgiving gravy with deep, layered flavor that freezes for months.

Madeira is one of the places where Christmas traditions are so closely adhered to that one really looks forward to the festa. Cooking preparations starts months in advance. It is at a time of year that the prize pig is slaughtered so that there is enough pork for Christmas lunch of Vinha d’Alhos.

Breaded pork chops braised until tender, topped with a warm sour cherry sauce spiked with cinnamon, cloves, honey, and Madeira wine. An elegant but approachable dinner.

Ochsenschwanzsuppe, a classic German oxtail soup simmered for 5 hours with vegetables, thickened with browned flour and butter, and finished with Madeira wine. Deep, beefy, and velvety.

Roasted Rack of Lamb with Black Olive Sauce (Postrio's) recipe

This rich, earthy soup has but 100 calories per serving if made with non-fat milk.

Pan-seared salmon fillets finished in a silky sherry-Madeira cream sauce with garlic, shallots, roasted red peppers, and mushrooms. Restaurant-plate elegance at home.

Paskha: the traditional Russian Easter cheesecake, an unbaked pyramid of sweetened farmer's cheese studded with candied fruit, raisins, and almonds, served with a madeira-rum lemon sauce. Orthodox Easter in every bite.

Classic Coach House black bean soup with ham bone, beef bones, bacon, Madeira wine, and chopped hard-boiled eggs. A legendary New York restaurant recipe slow-simmered for deep, smoky flavor.

German oxtail soup (Ochsenschwanzsuppe): browned oxtails and veal tails simmered five hours, then strained, pureed, and thickened with a dry-browned flour roux and a finishing splash of Madeira.

Beef Wellington wraps a roasted beef tenderloin in foie gras, mushroom duxelles, and puff pastry, served with a Madeira-truffle sauce. The classical French restaurant centerpiece for special occasions.

French seafood quiche with shrimp, crab, and lobster in a rich egg custard with Swiss cheese, Madeira, and white wine. An elegant brunch or dinner centerpiece.

Pineapple upside-down cake with a cornmeal batter, fresh pineapple caramelized in Madeira wine and brown sugar, baked in a cast iron skillet. Extra-rich with whole eggs plus extra yolks and a hint of nutmeg.

Classic French chicken liver pate with cognac, cream, butter, and fine spices. Marinated in cream overnight, blanched four times, then processed silky smooth.