Beurre Blanc

The is one of the classic French butter sauce. The recipe below from Chef Jean-Pierre is a modified version using dill and lemon juice which is especially good with fish, like a Hollandaise sauce only lighter. This sauce must be made just prior to serving – if you try to reheat it, it will break.

While preparing this sauce, it is very important to keep the temperature of the butter mixture below 120°F (50°C) to prevent it from breaking. (If it does break adding an egg yolk or two may reconstitute it, though it is then a Hollandaise sauce.)

Ingredients

• 2 ozs unsalted butter
• ¼ cup shallots minced
• ½ cup Chardonnay or other dry white wine
• ¼ cup lemon juice
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 6 ounces of room temperature (unsalted) butter cut into ½ ounce pieces
• 2 tbsps dill, chopped

Method

1. In a sauté or reduction pan heat 2 ounces butter and when hot add the shallots and slowly sweat them in the hot butter for about 3 to 4 minutes, but do not brown.
2. Add the white wine and lemon juice and let that reduce for about 10 minutes or until you have only 1 to 2 tablespoons of liquid left. Add the lemon zest.
3. Reduce the heat to VERY low (if you pan is too hot let it cool a little before adding the butter). The pan should be cooler than 120°F (50°C).
4. Start adding the butter slowly, make sure each piece is incorporated before adding the next piece.
5. Use a fine mesh strainer to strain the sauce at this point.
6. Add salt and white pepper to taste and the dill.

For the standard Beurre Blanc, replace the lemon juice with white wine vinegar, and remove the dill. As an option add a pinch of cayenne pepper.

Watch the video by Chef Jean-Pierre here.