Salsa de ciruelas pasas or prune sauce is a must have for Christmas Eve dinner and other holidays in many Latin American countries. This sweet sauce pairs great with turkey, but also with pork, chicken and duck, making it a very versatile sauce. The prunes are soaked overnight in red wine and port and then cooked into a sauce with shallots and balsamic vinegar.
There are many version of this sauce; some also add mustard, tomato sauce, and other dried fruits, as well as spices. I like to keep my prune sauce recipe very simple, the shallots and port helps bring out the sweetness of the prunes, while the balsamic vinegar provides a tart contrast. I tried making this sauce only using port and found that it was too sweet, so also adding dry red wine creates a nice balance.
En Español
Holiday prune sauce {Salsa de ciruelas}
Ingredients
- 1 lb prunes pitted
- 1 cup red wine
- 1 ½ cups port
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 3-4 shallots finely chopped
- ½ cup balsamic vinegar
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- Cover the prunes with red wine and port, let soak overnight.
- Heat the butter in a pan and add the chopped shallots, cook until the shallots are softs, about 5 minutes.
- Add the soaked prunes and their liquid, the balsamic vinegar and pinch of salt.
- Bring to a boil and reduce heat to medium low, cook for 25-30 minutes. Stir occasionally, but gently so that the prunes keep their shape. Remove from heat and serve warm.
If you need a replacement for the wine and port, you can use a rich beef broth, but will also need to add some sugar and maybe a little bit more of the balsamic vinegar. This sauce can be made ahead of time and refrigerated until the meal is ready. Re-heat before serving.
Step by step preparation photos for salsa de ciruelas or Latin syle prune sauce
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