Yield: 4 Servings
Ingredients
- For the Béarnaise Reduction:
- 3 tablespoons of dry white wine
- 3 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
- 1 shallot, minced (or small white onion)
- 6 sprigs of fresh tarragon leaves, chopped
- 1 dash of freshly ground pepper
- For the Hollandaise:
- ¾ cup of butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons of white wine
- 1 tablespoon of Dijon mustard
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- 2-3 drops of hot sauce
- the zest and juice of 1 lemon
Method
- Béarnaise sauce is simply Hollandaise with a shallot vinegar reduction stirred in so first make the reduction. Place the shallots, tarragon, dry white wine and white wine vinegar in a small saucepan over medium heat. Simmer briskly until it has reduced to about one-third of the original volume, about 5 minute. Cool to room temperature.
- For the sauce bring a small pot of water several inches deep to a slow simmer over a low heat. Fashion a double boiler by placing a glass or metal bowl over – not in – the pot of simmering water. In the bowl, off the heat, whisk the egg yolks, wine, mustard, lemon juice, and hot sauce until light and frothy. Place the bowl over the barely simmering water and continue whisking until the mixture thickens and more than doubles in volume, about 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and continue whisking for a few moments. Slowly begin adding the browned butter in a steady stream, whisking continuously. Add all the browned sediment that has settled to the bottom of the butter. Once the butter has been slowly incorporated slowly whisk in the lemon juice and the shallot reduction. Presto chango béarnaise!
- To create Sauce Choron stir 1 tablespoon of tomato paste into ½ cup of Sauce Bearnaise.
For more variations stir the following into 1/2 cup of Hollandaise:
- Sauce Paloise: 1 tablespoon of fresh mint and 1 tablespoon of mint liqueur
- Sauce Cafe de Paris: 1 tablespoon of curry powder
- Sauce Dijon: 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
- Sauce Maltaise: 2 tablespoons of blood orange juice