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Steak with Béarnaise Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Barefoot in Paris" by Ina Garten


Recipe Introduction

"Béarnaise sauce, like hollandaise, usually needs to be made at the last minute, which is a problem when entertaining. I experimented and found a way to make this sauce ahead and it's every bit as delicious. Buy a good aged steak from a butcher; it makes all the difference."

List of Ingredients

For the sauce:
â—¦ ¼ cup champagne vinegar
â—¦ ¼ cup good white wine
â—¦ 2 tablespoons minced shallots
â—¦ 3 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ Freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 3 extra-large egg yolks
â—¦ ½ pound (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted

â—¦ 6 (1-inch-thick) rib-eye steaks
â—¦ Kosher salt
â—¦ Coarsely ground black pepper
â—¦ Olive oil


Recipe

For the sauce, put the champagne vinegar, white wine, shallots, 1 tablespoon of the tarragon leaves, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is reduced to a few tablespoons. Cool slightly.

Place the cooled mixture with the egg yolks and 1 teaspoon salt in the jar of a blender and blend for 30 seconds. With the blender on, slowly pour the hot butter through the opening in the lid. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of tarragon leaves and blend only for a second. If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of white wine to thin. Keep at room temperature while you cook the steaks.

Season the steaks liberally with salt and coarsely ground black pepper on both sides. Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a large sauté pan over high heat until it's almost smoking, then sear the steaks on each side for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low and cook the steaks for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until very rare in the middle. Remove to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil, and allow to sit for 10 minutes. Serve with the béarnaise sauce on the side.

Serves 6