Bearnaise Sauce

Ingredients

• 60 ml white wine vinegar
• 30 ml dry white wine
• 2 shallots, minced
• 8 fresh tarragon leaves
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 Tellicherry black peppercorns
• 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
• 200 g unsalted butter, clarified, warmed to 50°C
• 10 g fresh tarragon, finely chopped
• 5 ml fresh lemon juice
• 2 g fine sea salt
• 1 pinch cayenne pepper

Method

1. 1
   Combine vinegar, wine, shallots, tarragon leaves, bay leaf, and peppercorns in heavy saucepan; reduce over medium-high heat until 15 ml liquid remains (syrupy reduction); strain through fine sieve, pressing on solids; cool to room temperature.
2. 2
   Whisk egg yolks with cooled reduction in heatproof bowl set over simmering water (bowl must not touch water); whisk constantly 3 minutes until pale and ribbon-like.
3. 3
   Remove bowl from heat; whisk continuously while slowly drizzling in warm clarified butter in thin stream.
4. 4
   Continue whisking and adding butter until sauce is thick, glossy, and pale; fold in fresh tarragon.
5. 5
   Season with lemon juice, salt, and cayenne; taste and adjust vinegar tang and seasoning as needed.
6. 6
   Pass through fine-mesh chinois if desired; keep warm at 48–52°C in water bath.
7. 7
   If sauce breaks, whisk 5 ml cold water or cream in clean bowl and slowly whisk in broken sauce to re-emulsify.