SAVOURY SAUCES: Here are a few examples of egg-thickened sauces that are traditionally very rich, and maybe not much used nowadays.

BASIC EGG-THICKENED SAUCE: BEARNAISE SAUCE

3/4 cup white wine                                         

2 peppercorns, crushed

2 tbsp. tarragon vinegar                                  

2 tbsp. finely chopped onion

3 egg yolks                                                     

1 cup clarified butter****

½ tsp. dried tarragon                                       

1 tsp. finely chopped parsley

salt and pepper

Combine white wine, tarragon vinegar, onion, tarragon, parsley and peppercorns in a saucepan and boil until reduced to 1/3 its original quantity. Cool.

Mix egg yolks together in a double boiler placed over gently simmering water. Add the strained vinegar mixture, stirring constantly. Gradually add in clarified butter, stirring constantly. Cook sauce until it has the consistency of whipped cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Should the sauce curdle, add 2-3 tbsp. cold water and heat until sauce is smooth again.

****Clarified butter is butterfat rendered free of water and milk solids contained in it. It can withstand higher cooking temperature without burning. It is usually obtained by melting butter, then allowing water to evaporate and the milk solids to settle and remains behind when butter is poured off****

 

VARIATIONS:

1.   Sauce Choron---stir 2 tbsp. tomato paste into prepared 1¼ cup Béarnaise sauce. Good for fish, especially salmon.

2.   Sauce Valois---after roasting chicken or meat, remove meat from roasting pan and pour off the fat. Add ½ cup hot water into the roasting pan over moderate heat to deglaze the pan, scraping all the brown bits together. Cook 5 minutes to reduce slightly. Add 1¼ cup of prepared Béarnaise sauce & heat through. Serve on roasted meat or chicken.