Mulled Wine
Foodie of the Year and chef JP Pedhirney of Calgary’s Bridgette Bar shares his spin on a holiday favourite
Image Author: Julya Hajnoczky- Yield: Serves 5
Ingredients
1 bottle of red wine
2 clementines, zested and cut into wedges
Zest of 1 lemon
Zest of 1 lime
1 pear, cored and sliced
1 cinnamon stick, broken in half
5 whole star anise
1 tsp cloves
6 cardamom pods
1 tsp Szechuan peppercorns
⅓ cup caster sugar
½ inch knob of ginger
¼ cup dried cherries
¼ cup pitted prunes
2 oz brandy
1 orange, cut into small wedges
Preparation
1. Pour bottle of red wine into a saucepot large enough to hold 2 to 3 litres of liquid. Combine all ingredients (except brandy and orange wedges) with the red wine.
2. On very low heat, begin to warm mixture, bringing it slowly up to a simmer. Allow this to happen gradually so wine can absorb all of the dried fruit and spice flavour. Do not boil, as this will burn off the alcohol.
3. Once wine has reached a light simmer, remove from heat and allow to steep for 1 to 2 hours. Strain the now-mulled wine through a fine-mesh sieve. Place wine in a saucepot and gently warm again. When ready to serve, add brandy.
4. Brush the rims of 5 wineglasses with the orange wedges and garnish wetted rims with sugar. Carefully ladle hot mulled wine into each wineglass and serve.
