Béarnaise Sauce Recipe

Béarnaise is a sauce similar to hollandaise. A reduction of white wine, shallots, tarragon, peppercorns, vinegar and seasoning, then emulsified with clarify butter.

Preparation Time: 15 Min
Cooking Time: 25 Min
Servings: 4 to 6

Ingredients:
2/3 cup clarified butter warm
2 shallots
1 tbsp chopped tarragon
1 tsp whole peppercorns
3 tbsp white wine vinegar
3 tbsp dry white wine
2 tbsp chopped parsley or chervil
3 egg yolks
1 tbsp cold water
Salt to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste

Preparation steps: 

The Reduction: Chop the shallots in a small blender. Clean the sides and process again; then place in a saucepan. In a mortar, crush the peppercorns and add to the shallots. Chop the tarragon leaves without the stems. Add to the saucepan. Cover with the white wine and white wine vinegar. Stir and bring mixture to a boil on medium heat. Warm the clarified butter in another saucepan. Reduce the béarnaise reduction until it is almost dry. Let it cool. (this reduction is called a gastrique)

The Sabayon: Place the egg yolks in a bowl. Add 1 tbsp of cold water and the cool reduction to the yolk and water mixture. Whisk the ingredients and place in a Bain Marie over medium heat. Whisk with an electric whisk, on speed 2, for at least 5 minutes. Make sure that the water is simmering, not boiling. Keep whisking the ingredients over the heat until the sabayon gets thick. This is what we call the ribbon stage.

When this stage is reached, remove from heat. Slowly add the clarified butter, whisking continuously. Chop the parsley or chervil if available. Season with salt and a pinch of cayenne pepper to taste. Serve the Béarnaise sauce in a saucer with your favorite grilled meats immediately.

Note: We must mention the existence of the Paloise sauce from Pau, the capital of Béarn. The sauce is served with grilled fish and is exactly the same as the Béarnaise, but made of fresh mint instead of fresh tarragon.