Béarnaise

Ingredients

Reduction
1 cup —fresh tarragon leaves, roughly chopped
½ cup —thinly sliced shallots
—optional: 1 rounded tsp whole black peppercorns
½ cup —white wine vinegar
½ cup —white wine
⅓ cup —water
Compound Butter
¼ cup —chopped tarragon
1 tsp —drained capers
1 tbsp —cold butter
Béarnaise
2 —large egg yolks
3 tbsp —tarragon vinegar reduction
8 tbsp —cold unsalted butter, cubed
1 tbsp —caper tarragon compound butter
—salt and cayenne to taste
—optional: freshly ground black pepper to taste

Method

Make the reduction

  • Chop tarragon leaves
  • Slice shallots thinly
  • Transfer to a medium saucepan
  • Add peppercorns and the liquids
  • Place on medium high heat and bring to a simmer
  • Maintain simmer and reduce to ~3 tbsp
    • Should take ~20? minutes
  • Strain through a small mesh strainer into a bowl
  • Wrap up and refrigerate until needed

Make the compound butter

  • Add chopped tarragon and capers to a large mortar and grind until pasty
  • Add cold butter and mash together
  • Transfer compound butter onto plastic, wrap, and refrigerate until needed

Make the bearnaise

  • Add all the ingredients except the compound butter to a medium mixing bowl
  • Whisk constantly over low–medium heat, holding the bowl with a towel
    • The butter will melt
    • It will thicken and become paler
    • When gets thick, whisk in the compound butter and turn off the heat
    • Taste and season

References