Béarnaise Sauce

Ingredients
3 tablespoons dry white wine
3 tablespoons tarragon vinegar or white wine vinegar (I can never find tarragon vinegar, so I use the white wine vinegar here.)
1 shallot, minced
6 sprigs fresh tarragon, leaves removed, chopped, and stems reserved
8 black peppercorns, lightly crushed
3 large egg yolks
1 ¹⁄₂ teaspoons cold water
¹⁄₂ cup melted butter warm (Not hot.)
Salt and ground pepper, to taste (Use white pepper if you want to avoid little black specks in your sauce.)

Instructions
1. Combine white wine, vinegar, shallot, tarragon sprigs, and peppercorns in a small saucepan over medium heat and simmer, uncovered, until cooked down by two-thirds, about 10-15 minutes.  

2. Remove the sprigs from the reduction and remove reduction from heat.

3. Off the heat, whisk together yolks and water in the top of a double boiler (or metal bowl on top of a saucepan, whatever you’ve got) until they become light and frothy. Place the top of the double boiler or the bowl over - not in - barely simmering water and whisk until the eggs are thickened, 2 to 4 minutes, being careful not to let the eggs get too hot.  (The eggs always seem to surprise me when they thicken.  They’re normal and then BAM, thickened and I freak out that I’ve cooked them too long.  So don’t freak out, just remove from the heat and keep whisking.)

4. Remove the pan or bowl from over the water and whisk to slightly cool the mixture. Whisking constantly, add the butter very slowly. Stir in the reserved chopped tarragon leaves and the reduction along with salt and pepper to taste.

Comments
The recipe I had planned to serve this with, Steak and Bacon Tournedoes, calls for Béarnaise sauce made from a packet of dehydrated hollandaise sauce with tarragon added to it.  I figured I could do better than that and found this recipe.  The first time I made it I was fearful that it was completely wrong but Lance, who has had this in restaurants, confirmed that it was fantastic.  And I agree!  This is a delicious sauce and it works so well with cow.  

Shown here with Roasted Filet Mignon and Roasted Acorn Squash.

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