Red Wine Essence - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 medium onion, coarsley chopped
1 carrot, coarsley chopped
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 celery rib, coarsley chopped
1 apple, coarsley chopped
2 teaspoons flavorless vegetable oil
2 (750 ml) bottles dry red wine
1 (750 ml) bottle ruby port
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth or 1 cup sodium-free chicken broth

Preparation

In a heavy large saucepan, combine onion.
carrot, celery, garlic, apple and oil.
Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables have begun to release their juices, about 8 minutes.
Uncover, increase heat to moderate, and saute vegetables, stirring frequently, until caramelizes to a deep golden brown.
Add wine and port, increase heat to high and bring to a boil.
Turn heat down to a low boil and reduce wine to about 1 cup.
This will take about 2 hours.
Strain wine into a small saucepan and add chicken broth.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and cook until reduced to 1 cup, about 45 minutes longer.
(for a more concentrated sauce, you can reduce to 1/2 cup).
Serve sauce hot.
Sauce will keep refrigerated for 1 month.