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Sauce béarnaise
Tarragon butter sauce
Sauce béarnaise: warm butter emulsion with a tarragon and shallot reduction, for steak
Sauce béarnaise was created in the 1830s at a restaurant in Saint-Germain-en-Laye near Paris and named after the Béarn region, home of King Henri IV, and it is still the sauce French families serve with steak and frites on special evenings. Egg yolks are whisked over gentle heat with a sharp reduction of vinegar, shallot and tarragon, then thickened with warm butter into a glossy, tangy sauce. The yolks are only lightly cooked, so use pasteurised egg yolks if serving anyone pregnant, very young, elderly or with a weakened immune system. The common mistake is too much heat, which scrambles the yolks. Chef's tip: if the sauce starts to look grainy, whisk in a teaspoon of cold water off the heat at once.
- Total time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
For the reduction
- 4 tbsp white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 shallotvery finely chopped
- 4 tarragon stalkschopped
- 6 black peppercornscrushed
For the sauce
- 3 egg yolkspasteurised if serving anyone at risk
- 6 ½ oz unsalted buttermelted and warm
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fresh tarragon leavesfinely chopped
- 1 tbsp chervil (optional)chopped
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Simmer the 4 tbsp white wine vinegar, 2 tbsp water, 1 shallot, 4 tarragon stalks and 6 black peppercorns in a small pan until only about 2 tbsp of liquid remain. Strain into a heatproof bowl, pressing on the shallot, and cool for 2 minutes.
8 minStep 2: Set the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water (the bowl must not touch the water). Add the 3 egg yolks and whisk constantly for 4–6 minutes, until pale, thick and the whisk leaves trails; the bowl should feel hot but not too hot to touch.
6 minStep 3: Off the heat, whisk in the warm 6 ½ oz unsalted butter in a thin stream until the sauce is thick and glossy, like soft mayonnaise.
5 minStep 4: Stir in the ¼ tsp salt, 2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves and 1 tbsp chervil. Keep warm over the warm (not simmering) water and serve within 30 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 230 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbs
- 1 g
- Fat
- 25 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does sauce béarnaise take?
- About 30 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 20 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of white wine vinegar?
- Cider vinegar or rice vinegar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of shallot?
- Half an onion per 2 shallots.
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