Food Encyclopedia

poivrade

1. A family of French sauces with pepper (poivre) as a key ingredient. The best known of these is poivrade sauce, a mixture of caramelized mirepoix, white wine, vinegar, brown stock and crushed peppercorns; it's generally served with beef or game animals. Chevreuil Sauce is similar except red wine is used instead of white. Grand-Veneur Sauce is another close variation with the addition of red currant jelly and cream. Moscovite Sauce is a poivrade flavored with juniper berries and Málaga, a sweet fortified wine from southern Spain. 2. The French name for a small violet-colored artichoke grown in Italy, Spain and southern France, particularly in Provence where the local variety is known as "Violet of Provence." The poivrade, with hints of grassiness and hazelnut, is much more flavorful than the more widely grown globe artichoke. Picked young, it can be eaten raw with a sprinkling of salt or vinaigrette. It can also be cooked in a variety of ways including steaming, sautéing and braising.