Béarnaise with Tarragon and Shallot Reduction

What you need

• 175 g (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 2 small shallots, finely chopped
• 60 ml (1/4 cup) white wine vinegar
• 100 ml (scant 1/2 cup) dry white wine
• 1 bunch fresh tarragon, stalks and leaves separated, leaves finely chopped (about 2 tbsp)
• 1 tsp black peppercorns, coarsely crushed
• 3 egg yolks
• 1 tbsp fresh chervil, finely chopped, optional
• salt, to taste

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   Melt the butter over low heat. Skim off the foam, then pour the clear butter into a jug, leaving the milky solids in the pan. Keep it warm.

2. 2

   Put the shallots, vinegar, wine, tarragon stalks and peppercorns in a small heavy saucepan.

3. 3

   Simmer over medium heat until only about 2 tbsp of liquid is left, 8-10 min.

4. 4

   Strain the reduction, pressing on the solids, and let it cool for a few minutes until just warm. Discard the stalks.

5. 5

   Return the reduction to the cleaned pan, or to a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water, and whisk in the yolks with 1 tbsp water.

6. 6

   Whisk over very low heat until the yolks turn pale, thick and foamy and leave trails, 2-4 min. The pan should stay cool enough to touch; lift it off the heat whenever it gets hotter.

7. 7

   Take it off the heat. Whisk in the warm butter a few drops at a time at first, then in a thin stream, until the sauce is thick and glossy.

8. 8

   Stir in the chopped tarragon leaves and the chervil and season with salt.

9. 9

   Keep it warm, not hot, and serve within the hour with steak, fish or eggs.

10. 10

    The yolks are only gently warmed, so choose pasteurized eggs when serving anyone young, elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised.

Imported from madaboutmacarons.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.