2 medium lemons
2 medium oranges
10 whole cloves
5 cardamom pods
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 1/4 cups water
2 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 Small vanilla pod (crush slightly with back of knife)
2 (750-ml) bottles dry red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Barolo
1/2 cup brandy
Cheesecloth
Kitchen Twine
DIRECTIONS
Using a vegetable peeler, remove the zest from the lemons and oranges in wide strips, avoiding the white pith as they will add a bitter taste. Place the zest in a large saucepan. Juice the lemons and oranges and add the juice to the pan. Place the cloves, cardamom and vanilla pod in a small piece of cheesecloth, tie it tightly with kitchen twine and add the bundle to the saucepan.
Add the sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks, place the pan over high heat, and bring to a simmer, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat to low and continue to simmer, stirring occasionally, until the mixture is reduced by about one-third, about 20 minutes.
Add the red wine and brandy, stir to combine, and bring just to a simmer (don’t let it boil, as you do not want to cook off alcohol). Remove from the heat and remove and discard the spice bundle before serving.
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Originally published in The Wine Cellar December 2015.
