Bearnaise Sauce Recipe

• 1/3 cup champagne or white wine vinegar
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 1/3 cup finely chopped shallot (from about 1 medium)
• 5 fresh tarragon sprigs, leaves removed and finely chopped (about 1 tablespoon), stems reserved
• 6 whole black peppercorns, crushed
• 3 large egg yolks
• 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into 8 pieces, at room temperature
• 1 to 2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh chervil (optional)
• Kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Fill a medium saucepan with 1 inch of water and bring it to a bare simmer over low heat.
2. Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, wine, shallots, tarragon stems, and crushed peppercorns in a medium frying pan.
3. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook until reduced to just over 2 tablespoons, about 10 minutes.
4. Strain the vinegar mixture, pressing on the solids, through a fine-mesh strainer and into a medium heatproof bowl large enough to sit suspended over (but not touching) the water in the saucepan; discard the solids.
5. Add the egg yolks to the vinegar mixture and whisk to combine.
6. Set the vinegar-yolk mixture over the simmering water and cook, whisking constantly, until the yolks thicken and the mixture forms ribbons when the whisk is lifted from the bowl, about 3 to 4 minutes.
7. (Check to make sure the water does not boil by periodically removing the bowl from the saucepan using a pot holder or dry towel.
8. If the water boils, reduce the heat so the eggs do not curdle.)
9. Whisk in the butter pieces one at a time, making sure each piece is incorporated before adding the next, until all of the butter has been added, about 2 minutes total.
10. Remove the sauce from heat.
11. (If the sauce is too thick, you can thin it with a few drops of water.)
12. Whisk in the chopped tarragon leaves and chervil (if using) and season with salt and pepper.
13. Serve warm.

champagne, white wine, shallot, tarragon sprigs, black peppercorns, egg yolks, unsalted butter, fresh chervil, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper

Taken from www.chowhound.com/recipes/bearnaise-sauce-29303 (may not work)