2024-04-18 06:00:38
Make this béarnaise sauce recipe and give a French and gourmet touch to your dishes. Your friends and family will love it!
Last update : 18 avril, 2024
One way to give an interesting twist to our meals is to use a different sauce. Whether in its preparation or as an accompaniment. In this sense, the Béarnaise sauce recipe is a perfect emulsified option to get out of the gastronomic routine, which will leave your friends and family speechless. Indeed, it is commonly used to accompany beef steaks.
This classic of French cuisine is simple to prepare, but there are some tricks to make it perfect. Here we share its ingredients, the steps and the dishes with which it goes wonderfully.
What is béarnaise sauce and what is its origin?
Béarnaise is a tangy emulsified sauce. That is to say, it contains ingredients that require the action of heat to be able to come together. In this case, in particular, butter and egg yolk.
This traditional preparation of French cuisine was invented by chef Jean-François Collinet in 1836. He made it for the first time during the inauguration of the restaurant The Henri IV Pavilion, located near Paris and in honor of King Henry IV. Indeed, the name of the sauce is in his honor, since the king was born in Béarn in France.
We can say that Béarnaise sauce is like the cousin/sister of Hollandaise sauce, which is one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine. In fact, both have very similar preparations, but they differ a little in the ingredients. Which gives the béarnaise a more nuanced flavor.
What are the ingredients in the béarnaise sauce recipe?
The Béarnaise sauce recipe itself does not require many ingredients. But some can be hard to find. This does not mean that you cannot prepare this delicious sauce, because there are other more common ones that can serve as an alternative.
We will indicate the traditional ones of the recipe as well as variations. With these quantities, you can make a sauce for regarding four people in total :
A pinch of salt.2 egg yolks.250 grams of butter.A sprig of chervil to decorate.Black peppercorns (To taste and grind instantly).2 shallots. (If you can’t find them, you can replace them with chives).200 milliliters of white wine vinegar. (If you have white wine and vinegar at home, you can use 100 milliliters of each). Fresh tarragon leaves. (Dehydrated is also good. But, if you can’t find it, you can use chervil or French parsley. The amount depends on your taste.)
Preparing the béarnaise sauce recipe: step by step
Making the béarnaise sauce is quite simple, it will take you between 30 and 40 minutes. But it is definitely worth it because it will give a unique flavor to your dishes. We consider that there are three key phases in its preparation and they are as follows.
1. Reduce wine vinegar
In the world of gastronomy, the reduction technique is used to concentrate flavors, removing some of the water from a liquid. This step is very important in the Béarnaise sauce recipe because it is what will give it its unrivaled taste.
Chop the shallots (or chives) into brunoise. This basic cut involves reducing it to very small squares. Then take the fresh tarragon leaves and cut them as finely as possible. This also applies if you use chervil. In case you opt for dehydrated tarragon, if you notice that the leaves are very large, it is advisable to chop them. Then put the cut ingredients in a saucepan or non-stick pan, along with the white wine vinegar .Bring the pan to a low heat then add freshly ground pepper.Wait for it to reduce its volume by half.Finally remove from the heat and leave to rest. If you don’t want to taste the pieces of shallot and tarragon in the sauce, you can drain it. But if you like a more rustic sauce, we recommend leaving them in.
2. Clarify the butter
To save time, while the vinegar is reducing, you can start with the butter clarification step. Indeed, this is so that it resists heat better and prevents it from burning. In addition, with clarification we leave aside dairy residues, making it easier to digest.
Put the butter in a clean frying pan or saucepan. Bring to a boil over low heat until completely melted. Then remove from the heat. You will notice that there is sediment on the bottom and clear butter on top. This is the one you need. Using a ladle, take the clear butter and add it to a bowl or cup. Avoid picking up the sediment.
3. Prepare the sauce
Once the previous steps are done, it’s time to prepare the sauce. The key to doing it right is never stop stirring it with a whisk.
Start by separating the whites from the yolks. You only need the yolks.Heat water in a saucepan over low heat.Take a bowl (glass or metal) then add the yolks, as well as the vinegar and tarragon reduction.Mix, using a hand mixer, until the ingredients are incorporated. Place the bowl on the pot, for a double boiler. Make sure to stir the mixture with zigzag movements. Add the clarified butter little by little, beating constantly. You will only do this when the sauce begins to emulsify or take on body. Then stir until it reaches a thick consistency. Season with salt to taste. Remove from the heat then serve in a bowl or a sauce boat. Finally chop a sprig of chervil and place it on the sauce as decoration. Your béarnaise is now ready!
You can also make the béarnaise sauce in a pan over very low heat. But if this is your first time using hot emulsified sauces, a double boiler is best. Because you will have better control over the temperature and less risk of it burning.
In which dishes can you use béarnaise sauce?
The Béarnaise sauce recipe is widely used in restaurants, with grilled meats.. For example, it is the ideal pairing with another classic of French cuisine: chateaubriand steak, made from beef sirloin. Likewise, it goes well with medallions, filet mignon or even more exotic meats, such as venison, used in the Nordic diet.
As for fish, the grilled salmon with béarnaise sauce is delicious. But it also goes well with sea bass, hake or turbot. Another alternative is to use it with grilled vegetables. For example, garnishing asparagus or endive will take it to the next level.
Béarnaise sauce is usually served hot. However, in case your main dish needs a few minutes to cook, you can place a piece of plastic wrap that touches the surface of it, in order to prevent a crust from forming.
Also read: How to cook vegetables appetizingly?
Surprise your family with this béarnaise sauce recipe!
As you may have noticed, to make a good béarnaise sauce, you don’t need to be a professional chef. You can prepare it at home, without any problem, and surprise your friends and family with a restaurant-style dinner or lunch.
Finally, we recommend that you consume it fresh. That is to say, prepare an exact quantity depending on the number of people you are cooking it for.. The béarnaise sauce recipe that we are sharing with you is for four people, but if there are two of you at home you can use half the ingredients. We are sure there will be no leftovers, because it is exquisite.
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