Who doesn’t love a new sauce? I have to tell you I am in love with a new product line developed by a friend who happens to be a James Beard award-winning chef, restauranteur, Oregon truffle oil producer and has cooked me one of the best meals I have ever eaten. Yes….ever.
Anyway, Jack has created a line of sauces that includes the above Pinot Szechuan Sauce. It’s absolutely heavenly, and so are the other flavors in this line; Pinot Pepper, Pinot Habanero and Pinot Chipotle. All are stunning examples of deeply, intense sauces, made fondly with Oregon Pinot Noir and of course made right here in Oregon….right down the road from me.
All are flavorful and very versatile. They work well as marinades, dipping sauces, finishing sauces and give a whole new twist to your favorite recipes. I live for stuff like this.
While this Pinot Szechuan Sauce was UNREAL in a couple stir-fry creations I’ve put together, I also wanted to make something unexpected. The sauce just screamed to use it in a savory-sweet combination. So the brittle was born. It’s sweet, spicy, crunchy, intense and off the charts yummy. But most of all, it’s very elegant tasting. I think sophisticated would be a good word.
It’s beautiful isn’t it? I really loved how this all came together.
Or….make this brittle and top off your vanilla bean ice cream with a hunk….so delicious.
Szechuan-Hazelnut Brittle
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups sliced Hazelnuts
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1/2 cup Light Corn Syrup
- 8 Tablespoons Unsalted butter, cut in cubes, plus more for pan
- 1/4 cup Water
- 2 Tablespoons Pinot-Szechuan Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon Chinese Five Spice Powder
Directions
- Place hazelnuts in a dry skillet and toast over low heat until fragrant and slightly browned. (Watch carefully as hazelnuts can burn easily). Keep hazelnuts warm.
- Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Butter the parchment generously. In a saucepan, bring sugar, corn syrup, butter, Szechuan sauce and water to a boil. Cook over high heat stirring with a wooden spoon until a deep amber toffee forms. This can take 10 minutes or more. Remove pan from heat and stir in baking soda, cayenne and Chinese Five-Spice (this will bubble up). Stir in the warm hazelnuts.
- Pour the hot mixture onto the prepared baking sheet and quickly spread as thin as possible. Let cool completely and break into large pieces.
Leave a comment on this post, letting me know what you would like to make with this sauce.
Disclosure: This is not a sponsored post, all-opinions are my own.
