Bearnaise Sauce (makes 175 ml)
250 g unsalted butter
2 shallots, peeled and finely chopped
3 T snipped tarragon
3 T white wine vinegar
1 tsp crushed white peppercorns (or black) ground white?
1 T water
4 egg yolks
S&P, cayenne
2 T snipped chervil (optional)
?100 ml white wine (DS)
?1 tsp mustard (DS)
First, make clarified butter: Melt the butter in a small pan over a low heat until it foams. Spoon off the foam and let the butter settle. Remove this clarified butter with a ladle, discarding the whitish residue in the base of the pan.
Put the shallots in a pan with the tarragon, vinegar, pepper, ? white wine (DS)and the water and boil to reduce by half. Cool.
When cold, transfer the shallots mixture into a glass bowl suitable for a double boiler, add the egg yolks ? and mustard?, and whisk over a pan of simmering water (being careful that the bowl does not touch the water), for 8-10 min until the yolks are light and creamy.
Take off the heat and, whisking continuously, pour in the clarified butter. Add salt and cayenne to taste. Add the chervil (if using) before serving.
