Classic Bearnaise And Paloise Sauces Recipes

Steps:

• Tie the peppercorns and 2 tarragon sprigs in cheesecloth and secure with butcher's twine to make a sachet. In a medium saucepan, combine the vinegar, shallots and sachet and simmer over low heat until the liquid is evaporated, 10 to 15 minutes. Let cool; discard the sachet.
• In a medium bowl set over a double boiler, whisk together the egg yolks and lemon juice. Heat, whisking constantly, until the yolks are pale and slightly thickened. Slowly ladle in the clarified butter, whisking constantly, until the sauce is emulsified. If sauce looks like it is getting too thick, add water by the tablespoon until you reach the desired consistency. Remove from the heat and add the chopped tarragon and 1 tablespoon of the shallots. Season with salt and pepper.

Steps:

• Put the vinegar, shallots, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of tarragon leaves into a small saucepan, and set over a medium flame. Bring just to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer until there are only a few tablespoons of liquid left, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
• Fill a small saucepan with an inch or two of water, and set over medium-high heat to boil.
• Put the cooled shallot-and-tarragon mixture into a metal mixing bowl along with a tablespoon of water and the egg yolks, then whisk to combine.
• Turn the heat under the saucepan of water down to its lowest setting, and put the bowl on top of the pan, making sure that it does not touch the water directly. Continue to whisk the yolks until they thicken, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. You should just about double the volume of the yolks.
• Slowly beat in the butter, a tablespoon or two at a time, whisking slowly to combine and emulsify. Remove the bowl from the pan occasionally, so as not to overcook the eggs, and taste the sauce. Season with salt. If the flavor is not sharp enough, add a splash of lemon juice. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of hot water. Add the remaining teaspoon of tarragon leaves, and serve.

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper; stir to coat. Stir in vinegar, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vinegar is evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking shallots, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer shallot reduction to a small bowl and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, fill a blender with hot water to warm it; set aside. Melt remaining 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is foamy. Transfer butter to a measuring cup.
• Drain blender and dry well. Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in warm, dry blender. Purée mixture until smooth. Remove lid insert. With blender running, slowly pour in hot butter in a thin stream of droplets, discarding milk solids at bottom of measuring cup. Continue blending until a smooth, creamy sauce forms, 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce into a medium bowl. Stir in shallot reduction and tarragon and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Steps:

• Place the white wine, white-wine vinegar, shallots, 2 tablespoons tarragon, and the peppercorns in a small saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring mixture to a boil, and cook until it is reduced to about 2 tablespoons.
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Keep warm until ready to use.
• Place egg yolks in a copper or stainless-steel bowl that fits snugly in the top of a medium saucepan. Fill the saucepan with 2 inches of water, and bring to a boil. Whisk the yolks, off the heat, until they become pale. Add wine mixture and salt, and whisk until well combined. Gradually add 1/4 cup boiling water, whisking constantly. Place bowl over the medium saucepan of boiling water; reduce heat to lowest setting. Whisking constantly, cook until whisk leaves a trail in the mixture and sauce begins to hold its shape. Remove from heat.
• Pour the warm, melted butter into a glass measuring cup. Add to yolk mixture, one drop at a time, whisking constantly. After you have added about a tablespoon of the melted butter, you can begin to add it slightly faster, still whisking constantly. Still, be careful: If the butter is added too quickly, the emulsion will be too thin or will "break" (separate).
• Once all of the butter has been added, adjust the seasoning with the lemon juice, and stir in the remaining tarragon. If the bearnaise becomes too thick, you may thin it with a little additional lemon juice or water. If not serving immediately, place pan of sauce over a pot of simmering water that has been removed from heat, or in a warm spot on the stove for up to 1 hour. Alternatively, you may store for up to 3 hours in a clean thermos that has been warmed with hot but not boiling water.

Steps:

• Put the cut-up butter in a 1-cup glass measure with a pouring spout, and microwave until completely melted and clear but not bubbling (or heat in a warm oven, 190 degrees F., about 25 minutes). Skim off any foam from the top, and cool until lukewarm but still liquid.
• Combine the liquids and seasonings (except the cayenne and fresh herbs) in a 3-cup, heavy-bottomed, non-reactive saucepan, and simmer over medium heat until the liquid reduces to 1 tablespoon (no farther). Strain the liquid into a cup, pressing hard to squeeze all the juices out of the shallots, then return it to the saucepan.
• Whisk in the yolk, and place over medium-low heat. Stir in 1/4 of the clarified butter, and continue whisking across the bottom and around the sides of the pan until the yolk-and-butter mixture thickens to a sour cream consistency. If the yolk is overcooked, it will start to scramble; if undercooked (as in "blender Bearnaise" recipes), it will taste raw.
• Dunk the pan briefly in cold water; then very slowly dribble in the rest of the butter off heat, whisking constantly, without including the milky liquid at the bottom. When all the butter is absorbed, the sauce should be the consistency of a medium-thick mayonnaise.
• Add the cayenne pepper, taste for seasoning, and stir in the herbs. To keep the sauce from congealing, set it in a pan of hot tap water, but the sooner it is served, the better.
• For Paloise sauce, omit the tarragon, and finish with 1/2 tablespoon finely shredded mint; do not add mint to the vinegar reduction (the cooking distorts its flavor).
• If the sauce overheats or the butter is added too fast, the oily fat can separate out. If that happens, during or after cooking, it is easy to fix: Put a teaspoon of water in a small bowl, add a spoonful of the separating sauce, and whisk them together until creamy; then gradually add the rest of the sauce, spoonful by spoonful, until the whole thing is reconstituted.