Classic Bearnaise

Photo: Adriana

Ingredients

60 grams shallots, chopped

75 mls tarragon, chopped

45 mls chervil, chopped

10 cracked peppercorns

250 mls white wine vinegar

7 egg yolks

500 mls warm, clarified butter

1 salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

To make a bearnaise, combine chopped shallots, chopped tarragon, chopped chervil, peppercorns and white wine vinegar in a small pan over a medium heat. Reduce it to 60 millilitres and strain.

Place the yolks and reduction in a clean glass or stainless steel bowl and whisk them over simmering/steaming water until thick and pale and a ribbon forms when the whisk is lifted up. Whip in the lemon juice to stop the mix from cooking

Add the warm, clarified butter very slowly to emulsify it in the mix. Incorporate all of it this way but once the emulsion has started it can be added a bit quicker.

Season with salt and pepper. Finish by stirring in the chopped tarragon.

Yield: 600 millilitres

To make choron sauce: Add 60 grams tomato paste and 2 tomatoes cut into tiny concasse at the end with the bearnaise.

To make foyot sauce: Stir 90 grams warm glace de viande into the finished bearnaise.