Versoffene Jungfern (Drunk Virgins)

Versoffene Jungfern translates cheekily as “drunk virgins," the name German cooks give to dumplings bathing in spiced hot red wine sauce. The recipe is really about the sauce, which is essentially a mulled-wine reduction served warm over plain yeast dumplings or bread dumplings.

The 20-minute simmer is the part that matters most. Reducing the wine concentrates its body and tannins, while slowly steeping the cinnamon stick and lemon peel builds a gentle spiced backbone without turning the sauce harsh or medicinal. Pull the aromatics at the 20-minute mark so they don’t tip into bitterness.

Sugar and a pinch of ground clove go in at the end, off heat, for a reason. Adjusting sweetness late means you can taste the reduced wine first and sweeten only to match. Acidic wines may need more sugar, fruity wines less, and a squeeze of lemon juice at the finish sharpens the whole thing.

Serve the sauce the moment it hits the dumplings. Cold red-wine sauce loses its perfume fast.

Kitchen Tips

• Use a decent drinking wine, not cooking wine. Reducing a wine concentrates its flaws as well as its strengths.
• A medium-bodied red works best: a Dornfelder, Spätburgunder, or plain Merlot. Avoid anything oaked or overly tannic.
• Strip lemon zest with a vegetable peeler to avoid the bitter white pith.
• Warm the serving plates or bowls. A cold plate chills the sauce instantly and mutes the aroma.

Variations

• Add a star anise and a few black peppercorns for a glühwein-style deeper spice profile.
• Finish with a splash of brandy off heat for extra warmth in cold weather.
• Serve over vanilla ice cream or pound cake if you don’t have dumplings on hand.