Chef's Notes
Many vegetables pair well with beurre blanc. Try it over carrots, artichokes, green beans, fennel, mushrooms, or potatoes. This sauce would also be delicious over things such as chicken, crab, eggs dishes, fish, lobster, mussels and veal.
Step 1: Making the Beurre Blanc
- 1 tbsp shallots
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 8 tbsp unsalted, cold butter
- lemon juice (to finish)
- kosher salt (to taste)
- white pepper (to taste)
Before preparing the sauce, cut the butter into tablespoon-size pieces and keep cold in the refrigerator.
To prepare the beurre blanc, first mince the shallots. Place a small saucepan over medium heat and add the shallots and the wine. Reduce the liquid by about two-thirds until it reaches a syrupy consistency.
Turn the heat to the lowest setting and whisk in the cold butter one piece at a time to slowly form the emulsion.
Once all of the butter has been incorporated, season with salt and pepper to taste. You may want to add a few drops of lemon juice to brighten the flavor of the sauce.
Monitor the sauce closely while you cook the asparagus. Keep the sauce warm to the touch and whisk often to prevent it from splitting. You may need to turn the heat off and on to keep it at the correct temperature. The heat does not always need to be on, as the residual heat from the pan will keep it warm.
Step 2: Prepping and Serving the Asparagus
- 1 lb asparagus
- 1 tbsp fresh tarragon
First wash the asparagus and then cut the tough ends off.
Before cooking the asparagus, chop the tarragon and set aside.
To cook the asparagus, briefly steam it for about 2 minutes until just tender. Transfer to a plate.
Whisk the chopped tarragon into the sauce. Pour over top and serve immediately.