Bearnaise Sauce

Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Medium
Yield: 1 to 1/2 cups
User Rating: No Rating

1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 tablespoon minced shallots
1 tablespoon dried tarragon
Salt and pepper
3 egg yolks
2 sticks unsalted butter, melted in saucepan
2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon

In a small saucepan combine vinegar, wine, shallots, and dried
tarragon and simmer over moderate heat until reduced to 2 tablespoons
of liquid. Cool and strain through a fine sieve.

In the top of double boiler or a heat-proof bowl whisk the egg yolks
until they become thick and sticky. Whisk in the reduced vinegar
mixture and pepper. Place the pan or bowl over a saucepan of
simmering, not boiling, water. Whisk until mixture is warm, about 2
minutes. (If mixture appears to become lumpy, dip pan immediately in a
bowl of ice water to cool, whisk until smooth and then continue
recipe.) The yolk mixture has thickened enough when you can see the
bottom of the pan between strokes and mixture forms a light cream on
the wires of the whip.

While whisking the yolk mixture gradually pour in the melted butter, a
tablespoon or so at a time whisking thoroughly to incorporate before
adding more butter. As the mixture begins to thicken and become
creamy, the butter can be added more rapidly. Do not add the milk
solids at the bottom of the melted butter.

Season the sauce, to taste, with chopped tarragon, salt and pepper. To
keep the sauce warm, set the pan or bowl in lukewarm water or in a
thermos.


Episode#: CL8828
Copyright © 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved


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