Learn how to make a French classic, sauce bearnaise. Brian Mark gives you his recipe for both the sauce itself and a homemade bearnaise essence, which is required for the recipe. This recipe makes extra essence, which you can store in the fridge for the next time you make sauce bearnaise."
Brian Mark is the head chef at the Michelin-starred Søllerød Kro and is known for his love of sauces as well as his skill in creating flavourful sauces, perfect for any dish.
Ingredients
Bearnaise Essence
100 g roscoff onions, finely sliced
50 g French tarragon, whole with leaves and stems
20 g flat-leaf parsley stems
10 g horseradish, sliced
150 g white wine vinegar, good quality
10 black peppercorns
Clarified Butter
150 g butter
Sauce Bearnaise
2 egg yolks
15 g pure bearnaise essence
10 g water
Clarified butter
10 g tarragon leaves, finely chopped
5 g chervil, finely chopped
Salt
Pepper
Optional: Meat juices or Worcestershire sauce for seasoning
Instructions
Bearnaise Essence
Add all the ingredients to a saucepan and simmer until reduced by half.
Remove from heat and let the essence cool to room temperature.
Clarified Butter
Clarify the butter by melting it in a saucepan over low heat without stirring.
Once the white milk solids have settled at the bottom, remove the pan from the heat.
Sauce Bearnaise
Add the egg yolks, salt, pepper, water, and bearnaise essence to a saucepan and whisk together.
Whisk over low heat or a water bath to incorporate air into the egg mixture and allow it to emulsify.
Slowly pour in the clarified butter while constantly whisking. The butter should be around 50 degrees, and avoid using the milk solids that have settled at the bottom.
Add tarragon and chervil and adjust the seasoning to taste.
