Bearnaise Butter Recipes

Steps:

• Using a fork, combine softened butter, tarragon, shallot (or you can use minced garlic and a bit of minced onion to substitute if you don't have shallots on hand), lemon juice, and salt.
• Mix well.
• Using a sheet of wax paper, shape into a log, twist ends tightly and chill for about an hour, until firm.
• Season steaks with pepper and a bit of oil and grill.
• Top hot steaks with a generous slice of butter and serve.
• Leftover butter can be stored in the frige for about a week, tightly wrapped.

Steps:

• Place shallots, vinegar, half of tarragon, and half of parsley in small saucepan. Simmer over medium-high heat until vinegar is reduced to 3 tablespoons, about 3 minutes. Strain into small bowl, pressing on solids to release any liquid. Discard solids; cool tarragon vinegar.
• Mix butter, lemon peel, and remaining chopped tarragon and parsley in medium bowl to blend. Mix in cooled tarragon vinegar. (Can be prepared 3 days ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using.)

Steps:

• Put the egg yolks in a mini food processor and season with salt, pepper and a pinch of cayenne, then add the vinegar.
• Finely chop the tarragon stalks and leaves separately. Melt the butter in a pan then add the chopped tarragon stalks and bring it to a simmer - the butter needs to be hot so that it will cook the egg yolks slightly.
• Turn the processor on and add the hot melted butter slowly while the processor is running. Once all the butter has been added and the mixture is smooth and thick, pour it into a bowl and stir through the tarragon leaves. Season and serve with steak.

Steps:

• On a small plate with a fork blend all ingredients together well and transfer to a sheet of wax paper. Using wax paper as an aid, shape butter into a 4-inch-long log and wrap. Chill butter 1 hour long, or until firm. Bèarnaise butter may be made 5 days ahead and kept chilled, wrapped tightly.
• Prepare grill.
• Bring steaks to room temperature and rub lightly with oil. Season steaks with salt and pepper and grill on a rack set 5 to 6 inches over glowing coals 4 to 5 minutes on each side for medium-rare meat. (Alternatively, steaks may be grilled in a hot well-seasoned ridged grill pan over moderately high heat.)
• Serve steaks topped with slices of bèarnaise butter.

Steps:

• Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add shallots and a pinch of salt and pepper; stir to coat. Stir in vinegar, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until vinegar is evaporated, 3-4 minutes. Reduce heat to low and continue cooking shallots, stirring frequently, until tender and translucent, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer shallot reduction to a small bowl and let cool completely.
• Meanwhile, fill a blender with hot water to warm it; set aside. Melt remaining 1 cup butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until butter is foamy. Transfer butter to a measuring cup.
• Drain blender and dry well. Combine egg yolks, lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon water in warm, dry blender. Purée mixture until smooth. Remove lid insert. With blender running, slowly pour in hot butter in a thin stream of droplets, discarding milk solids at bottom of measuring cup. Continue blending until a smooth, creamy sauce forms, 2-3 minutes. Pour sauce into a medium bowl. Stir in shallot reduction and tarragon and season to taste with salt, pepper, and more lemon juice, if desired. DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 hour ahead. Cover and let stand at room temperature.

Steps:

• Cook the first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until the liquid is reduced to 1 tablespoons
• Remove from heat, and cool for 10 minutes.
• Stir in butter and the remaining ingredients. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Steps:

• Put the vinegar, shallots, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of tarragon leaves into a small saucepan, and set over a medium flame. Bring just to a boil, and then reduce heat to a simmer until there are only a few tablespoons of liquid left, approximately 5 minutes. Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
• Fill a small saucepan with an inch or two of water, and set over medium-high heat to boil.
• Put the cooled shallot-and-tarragon mixture into a metal mixing bowl along with a tablespoon of water and the egg yolks, then whisk to combine.
• Turn the heat under the saucepan of water down to its lowest setting, and put the bowl on top of the pan, making sure that it does not touch the water directly. Continue to whisk the yolks until they thicken, approximately 5 to 7 minutes. You should just about double the volume of the yolks.
• Slowly beat in the butter, a tablespoon or two at a time, whisking slowly to combine and emulsify. Remove the bowl from the pan occasionally, so as not to overcook the eggs, and taste the sauce. Season with salt. If the flavor is not sharp enough, add a splash of lemon juice. If the sauce is too thick, stir in a splash of hot water. Add the remaining teaspoon of tarragon leaves, and serve.

Steps:

• Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a small nonstick frying pan that has a lid. Tip the potatoes into the pan, cover and cook for 10 minutes, shaking the pan occasionally so the potatoes get tossed around. Remove the lid and fry the potatoes uncovered for another 4-5 minutes, until crisp and golden.
• Meanwhile, season the steak. About 5 minutes before the potatoes are ready, heat the remaining oil in a small heavy-based frying pan and fry the steak for 11⁄2-2 minutes on each side, depending how you like it done.
• Take the steak out of the pan and put it on a warmed plate. Turn down the heat, spoon in the vinegar (it will evaporate immediately), then quickly stir in the crème fraîche and mustard and heat just until they melt and make a sauce. Sprinkle in most of the tarragon, stir and taste for seasoning. Pour the sauce over the steak and scatter with the remaining tarragon. Serve with the crisp potatoes and a green salad, pour yourself a glass of red wine - and tuck in.

Steps:

• Place butter in a medium glass bowl, and melt in the microwave, about 30 seconds on High. Whisk in the onion, white wine vinegar, egg yolks, heavy cream and lemon juice. Season with tarragon, parsley, salt, mustard powder and cayenne pepper; mix well.
• Return to the microwave, and cook for 1 1/2 minutes, or until thickened, stirring until smooth every 20 to 30 seconds.