Culinary Tips From Chef Raven
Vermouth Beurre Blanc
A beurre blanc is a white butter sauce which is one of the basic sauces a chef will learn and work with over and over again. Even though this sauce has cream and butter in it, there is no need to be afraid of it. You can use just a tiny bit over something to add another dimension. A traditional beurre blanc has white wine in it, I prefer to use dry, white vermouth in this recipe. It's a nice change. Feel free to substitute 3/4 cup dry white wine for the vermouth in this dish. Once you've mastered it, you can try some variations such as using orange or lime juice in place of the lemon juice. It then becomes known as a citrus beurre blanc. You will see below in my additional notes that you can add herbs to it as well. I've mentioned dill but you can pretty much use whatever you think would taste good. This is a good time to reiterate to you that there really are no rules in cooking (okay, there are a few!). What I mean to say is that if you hate dill, try something you like!
Serving Size : 6 Preparation Time :0:20
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2 Cups Heavy Cream
1/4 Cup Shallots -- Chopped
2 Tablespoons Butter
2/3 Cup Dry White Vermouth
1/4 Cup Lemon Juice
1/3 Pound Butter -- Cut In 1" Cubes
1/2 Tablespoon Salt
1/2 Tablespoon White Pepper
1/4 Cup Blond Roux -- *see note below
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan. Cook shallots in butter until just beginning to brown. Add vermouth and cook until reduced by 1/3. Add cream and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook until reduced by 1/3. WATCH CREAM CAREFULLY. IT WILL BOIL OVER VERY EASILY.
Add Blond Roux and whisk well until completely mixed in. Whisk in butter piece by piece until all is incorporated. Add lemon juice and white pepper.
Will reheat well up to 6 hours later if simmered gently. Do not microwave to reheat.
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NOTES : In place of shallots, you may use 3 tablespoons finely chopped onions and 1 tablespoon chopped garlic.
Blond Roux: equal parts butter and flour melted together to form a paste.
Excellent with a couple of tablespoons of dill weed for a sauce on baked or grilled salmon.
--- © Chef Raven
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