Bearnaise Sauce

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.

Roast Beef

Roast Beef

Try to get Sirloin on the bone

Preheat the oven at 475 F or 245 C (225 C fan)

Rub the fat-surface with a mixture of flour and mustard, and sprinkle with freshly milled pepper (but no salt because this encourages the juices to escape).

Roast for 20 min, then lower the heat to 375 F, 190 C, 170 C fan, and cook for:

- 15 min per 450 g
-plus 15 extra min for medium rare
-plus 30 extra min for well-done.

Baste the meat with the pan juices from time to time during the cooking.

Remove from heat. Then it is important to rest the meat for about 30 min before carving.