Many popular Mediterranean dishes call for white wine that is reduced with spices and citrus. This technique is used in dishes like lemon chicken piccata. You can substitute marsala wine for dry white wine, but you need to be aware of the effect it will have on the dish. In general, marsala wines, which are named for the Italian city in Sicily, have a unique sweetness and higher percentage of alcohol per volume than dry white wine.
Select a recipe that calls for dry white wine, such as veal piccata. Use the recipe as a reference for the proportions of wine, stock, spices and produce that will go into the reduction.
Compensate for the sweeter and stronger taste of the marsala wine by using a tablespoon less for each cup of white wine the recipe calls for. In its place, add an extra tablespoon of the citrus ingredient, such as lemon juice. If the recipe does not call for a citrus fruit, it will often call for either vegetable, chicken or beef stock in the reduction. In that case, use a tablespoon more stock in place of the reduced quantity of wine.
Add the stock, spices and produce, then cook it to reduce it down before adding it to the main dish. Some recipes require you to add the wine directly to the poultry or seafood; it will reduce as the meat cooks. Taste the dish once the reduction is finished to see if the flavors blend well. If the reduction is too sweet, add more stock or citrus to adjust the flavor accordingly.
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John-Michael Haines has been writing professionally since 2004 with a focus on business, finance and real estate. He started his career by writing for the "Williamson County Sun" near Austin, Texas, where he reported on hard-hitting city and business news. He holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism from the University of Houston.