The French have taken the art of “sauce” to its supreme level. The dictionary of French cuisine, “Larousse Gastronomique,” lists over 300 different sauces and their variations. While I have tried only a small fraction of these, if I could choose just one sauce, it would be the classic Béarnaise. Until the advent of lactose free dairy products and substitutes, many, if not most of the classic French sauces were off limits for those of us who are lactose intolerant. No more! Drizzled on asparagus, served along side a grilled steak, on poached eggs or with fish, Béarnaise sauce is the perfect accompaniment to so many dishes. And, it really is quite simple to make at home. I used Earth Balance Buttery Sticks to make a lactose free version.
Béarnaise sauce in restaurants can be hit or miss. Where is the fresh tarragon?!
Pasteurized eggs are a safe bet when making Béarnaise sauce (as well as hollandaise sauce).
White wine, white wine vinegar, shallots, tarragon, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Let the liquid reduce until you’re left with just about 1 tablespoon.
An egg yolk is added to the reduced liquid and set over a double boiler, which in my case, was a saucepan perched on top of another saucepan. Voila! A double boiler.
Just half of an Earth Balance Buttery Stick is added slowly while you whisk away. Soon you will have the best Béarnaise sauce to drizzle over…everything!
Lactose Free Béarnaise Sauce
Recipe adapted from Sur la table
2 servings
Ingredients
1/8 cup white wine
1/8 cup white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced shallots
2 teaspoons minced fresh tarragon
1 egg yolk (I used a pasteurized egg yolk)
1/8 pound Earth Balance Buttery Stick (1/2 stick)
salt and pepper to taste (I added just a pinch of salt and a few grinds of pepper)
Fresh lemon juice (optional)
Preparation
In a small saucepan, bring wine, vinegar, shallots, tarragon, salt and pepper to a boil over medium high heat and reduce to about 1 tablespoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, cool slightly.
Beat in egg yolk until smooth. Place the saucepan over another saucepan filled with 1 inch of simmering water (or use a small double boiler if you have one). Whisk sauce until it begins to thicken. Whisk in Buttery Stick bit by bit. Before serving, add just a few drops of fresh lemon juice.
Of course, this recipe can be made with butter for those who are not lactose intolerant.