Recipe: Classic Beurre Blanc with Variations

CLASSIC BEURRE BLANC WITH VARIATIONS

1 tablespoon fine-minced shallots
3 tablespoons dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon white pepper
2 tablespoons water
1/2 pound (2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, cut into cubes

In a nonreactive medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, simmer shallots, wine, vinegar, salt and pepper over medium-high heat until reduced to about 1 tablespoon. Add water. Cook down to about 2 tablespoons.

Into the hot reduction, whisk in two cubes butter and immediately turn the heat to low. Whisk in remaining butter, one to two cubes at a time, until incorporated. It's important to whisk constantly. The sauce should be thick, the consistency of heavy cream. Strain if desired.

The sauce is best served immediately, but if you don't, it can be kept for 1 or 2 hours over a pan of barely warm water, near a pilot light or in a thermos bottle. Stir occasionally, whisking in a little bit of water if the sauce thickens.

Makes 1 cup

VARIATIONS:

BEURRE CITRON:
Replace the shallots, vinegar and wine with 1/4 cup lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest.

BEURRE ROUGE:
Replace the white wine with red and the champagne vinegar with red wine vinegar.

COCONUT MILK BEURRE BLANC:
After the initial reduction, add 2 tablespoons coconut milk instead of water.

GINGER-LIME BEURRE BLANC:
To the basic reduction sauce, add 1 tablespoon finely minced fresh ginger and replace the vinegar with an equal amount of lime juice.

SOY BEURRE BLANC:
A mixture of soy sauce and chicken broth replaces the wine and vinegar. Add a sprig of fresh thyme to the reduction. Then 1 tablespoon heavy cream is added; cut the amount of butter to 2 tablespoons. Remove the thyme. This is looser and lighter than the traditional sauce.

CIDER BEURRE BLANC:
Wine and vinegar are replaced with cider, and black peppercorns and a bay leaf are added to the reduction. Strain out the peppercorns and bay leaf before adding the butter.

SAFFRON BEURRE BLANC:
Add a pinch of saffron threads to the reduction.

FOR A LIGHTER BEURRE BLANC:
Reduce the amount of butter that you whisk in to 1/4 pound (1 stick), and add 2 tablespoons chicken broth after you've finished. The sauce will be looser than classic beurre, but it will have about half the fat.

Source: Ft. Lauderdale Sun-Sentinel, May 17 2007