Dry Marsala wine is a wonderful flavor to add to your cooking vocabulary. It doesn’t have to be relegated only to the traditional Marsala sauce served with Chicken Marsala. This Marsala wine sauce combines the nutty flavor of the wine with the sweet, savory, citrusy flavors of dried cranberries, sage, and orange zest, with a hint of heat from jalapeño chile pepper. The sauce will pair beautifully with turkey, pork, or chicken. Try it, you’ll like it! (Pictured: Turkey Roulade with Marsala Wine Sauce and Rice Pilaf )

Serves 4

Ingredients:

¾ cup dry Marsala wine
¼ cup dried cranberries
1 small shallot, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 teaspoons orange zest
1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
1 ½ cups chicken broth (reserve ¼ cup)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon minced jalapeño
1-2 teaspoons soy sauce or ½ teaspoon salt; ¼ teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)

Preparation:

Macerate the cranberries in the Marsala for at least an hour.
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat and add the minced shallot. Saute, stirring regularly, until fragrant and translucent (not brown; 2-3 minutes).
Add the Marsala, cranberries, orange zest, sage, and jalapeño and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat and simmer for 3-4 minutes.
Add 1 ¼ cups chicken broth, bring to a boil and simmer to reduce for 3-4 minutes.
Add the cornstarch to the reserved chicken broth and mix to create a slurry. Add the cornstarch mixture to the simmering sauce, stirring constantly. Add salt and pepper and simmer for 2-3 minutes.
Garnish with crumbled toasted sage or chopped fresh parsley.

*Note: If your sauce is too thick, add a small amount of broth or water, stirring over heat until you have the desired consistency.

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