Bearnaise
A warm butter emulsion with tarragon and shallot. Hollandaise acquired a herb garden and stronger opinions.
Ingredients
- 60 ml white wine vinegar
- 60 ml dry white wine
- 1 small shallot, minced
- 4 black peppercorns, crushed
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, divided
- 3 pasteurized large egg yolks
- 180 g unsalted butter, melted and warm
- 1 tbsp water, plus more as needed
- Salt, to taste
Measures: 1 tbsp = 15 ml; 1 tsp = 5 ml. Yields are approximate. Pan width and heat affect reduction time; the texture gets the final vote.
Method
Reduce the aromatics
Simmer vinegar, wine, shallot, peppercorns, and half the tarragon until about 2 tbsp liquid remains, 5–8 minutes. Strain and cool until lukewarm.
Whisk the yolks
In a heatproof bowl, combine yolks, strained reduction, and water. Whisk over barely simmering water, without the bowl touching it, until thickened and leaving brief trails. Lift off heat as needed.
Emulsify
Off heat, whisk in warm butter by drops, then a thin stream. If too thick, loosen with teaspoons of warm water.
Finish
Add the remaining fresh tarragon and salt to taste. Serve promptly, warm rather than piping hot.
Checkpoint: Creamy sauce with clear tarragon flavor and a clean acidic finish.
Failure modes and fixes
If oily, whisk it slowly into 1 tsp warm water in a fresh bowl. If the eggs scrambled, restart. Extra herbs cannot negotiate with scrambled eggs.
More rescue techniques →Put it to work
Steak, grilled fish, or asparagus. The base technique is hollandaise.
Storage and reheating
Use pasteurized yolks: gentle thickening is not a verified egg-pasteurization step. Make just before serving, use promptly, and do not keep it sitting lukewarm for later. Discard leftovers from service. Storage and handling reference.