Béarnaise Sauce

Béarnaise sauce is an emulsion of egg yolks, butter, and vinegar flavored with shallots and tarragon. It is one of the five mother sauces of classical French cooking. It is considered to be a classic sauce for steak, as well as fish and vegetables.

Ingredients

• 3 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) white wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
• 2 tablespoons (30 ml) chopped shallots
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) chopped tarragon
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) butter
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method

1. In a saucepan, combine vinegar, water, shallots, and tarragon.
2. Bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks and cooled vinegar mixture until well combined.
5. In a saucepan, melt butter over low heat.
6. Slowly add melted butter to the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly until all the butter is incorporated.
7. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Description of the food

Béarnaise sauce is a smooth and creamy sauce that is perfect for dressing up steak, fish, or vegetables. It is made by emulsifying egg yolks and butter with vinegar and flavoring it with shallots and tarragon.

Potential changes & improvements

• You could add more or less tarragon to taste.
• You could use a different type of vinegar, such as cider vinegar or red wine vinegar.
• If you wanted a richer sauce, you could add a tablespoon or two of heavy cream.

What other food works well with

Béarnaise sauce goes well with steak, fish, vegetables, and potatoes. It is also often used as a sauce for eggs Benedict.

Common Mistakes

One common mistake when making béarnaise sauce is to add the butter to the egg yolk mixture too quickly. This can cause the sauce to break and become greasy. It is important to add the butter slowly while whisking constantly. Another mistake is to not season the sauce enough. Be sure to taste the sauce and add salt and pepper to taste.

Nutritional Information

One serving of béarnaise sauce (1 tablespoon or 15 ml) contains:

• 102 calories
• 11 g fat
• 2 g saturated fat
• 1 g carbohydrates
• 0 g sugar
• 0 g protein
• 0 mg cholesterol
• 1 mg sodium

Allergens

Béarnaise sauce contains egg yolks, butter, and tarragon.