Beurre Blanc, Perfected

At last, a presentable Beurre Blanc sauce!

My beurre blanc has always turned out lousy. Try as I might, I would whisk the heck out of it as I added the butter but it never came out nice and creamy. Either that or it would be too hot and the butter would break.

No more.

A few days ago, I took a cooking class at my favorite gourmet cooking tols store in downtown Glendale AZ from a new instructor, Chef Bernard Chirent. Chef Bernard is French, trained with the French masters, and had his own restaurant in Paris. He was the executive chef at the Fairmont hotel in San Francisco after moving to the USA.

Chef Bernard taught me his secret to making a nice Beurre Blanc: after reducing the wine and before adding the butter, add a little cream.

The other night I had a chance to try it myself. First, saute a tablespoon or so of chopped shallots. Add a little wine and let it reduce down till there is almost none left. Add about 1/4 cup cream and let it reduce for a minute or so. Then add the butter. There is no need to whisk like mad. Just a little stirring or whisking and it makes this beautiful sauce.

You gotta use unsalted butter. I can tell you from experience that the sauce comes out WAY to salty if you use salted butter. Americal salted butter is almost tasteless, unfortunately. I am lucky that AJ's carries Plugra butter and so I always use that.

Here is a final picture: sear-roasted filet of salmon with Beurre Blanc. A tiny pinch of paprika and some chives have been added for presentation. Accompanied by Braised Asparagus with Shallots, Pancetta, and a Balsamic-Butter Glaze

Comments

[Heather]

Dave, I think you've done Chef Bernard proud! I'm sure he'd be thrilled with this great looking dish.

Heather
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