Chef Johns Butterless Bearnaise Sauce Food

CHEF JOHN'S BEARNAISE SAUCE

Steps:

• Place 1 cup tarragon, shallots, and peppercorns in a saucepan. Pour in white wine vinegar, white wine, and water. Place over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer; stir. Reduce heat to medium-low to maintain a gentle simmer and reduce liquid to about 3 tablespoons, 20 to 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Strain into a bowl through a fine mesh strainer, pressing vegetable/herb mixture to extract as much liquid as possible.
• Place 1/4 cup chopped tarragon and capers in a mortar. Mash with a pestle about 1 minute. Add 1 tablespoon cold butter. Mash and pound with pestle until ingredients are thoroughly combined in a solid mass. Transfer to a piece of plastic wrap; wrap and chill.
• Place egg yolks in a stainless steel (flameproof) mixing bowl; add 3 tablespoons tarragon/shallot reduction; whisk together. Add cold butter cubes. Place bowl over low to medium heat whisking constantly until sauce thickens, as you hold the bowl with a kitchen towel. After butter melts continue whisking; mixture will turn a lighter yellow color after 8 to 10 minutes. When mixture is nice and thick, reduce heat to low and stir in compound butter broken into chunks. Continue whisking. Remove from heat. Season with salt, cayenne pepper, and black pepper.

CHEF JOHN'S BUTTERLESS BEARNAISE SAUCE

Steps:

• Whisk egg yolks, black pepper, tarragon Dijon mustard, tarragon vinegar, water, and salt in a metal mixing bowl or small saucepan. Place over low heat and whisk until mixture foams, small wisps of steam appear from the sauce, and sauce is hot and thick, 1 to 2 minutes. Raise and lower the pan over the heat to increase or reduce heat.
• Remove from heat and whisk a few more seconds to make sauce slightly fluffy. Serve immediately.

BEARNAISE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make the bearnaise reduction first. In a small saucepan, combine the tarragon, shallots, vinegar and wine over medium-high heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Remove from heat and set aside to cool.
• Blend yolks and bearnaise reduction together. With the blender running, add 1/3 of the butter in a slow steady stream. Once it emulsifies, turn the blender speed up to high and add the remaining butter. Season with salt and pepper and set aside in a warm spot to hold the sauce.

CLASSIC FRENCH BEARNAISE SAUCE

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.