Beurre blanc sauce is a classic butter sauce made with shallots and white wine. Although not one of the Five Mother Sauces of French cuisine, the beurre blanc sauce recipe is commonly regarded as the 6th mother sauce and can be used as the foundation for many other sauces.First known as beurre Nantes, beurre blanc translates as "white butter" and traces its roots back to the 1890s in Nantes, in the west of France.Beurre blanc is a rich sauce that is slightly sweet and tangy at the same time. It pairs best with fish and other seafood dishes.
Equipment
- saucepan
Ingredients
- 450 g unsalted butter (chilled andl cubed)
- 250 ml white wine
- 150 ml white wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp finely minced shallots
- salt & pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Using a saucepan, bring wine and vinegar to a boil.
- Add shallots, salt and pepper.
- Lower the heat and simmer until only 2 tablespoons of liquid are left.
- Whisk the butter gently into the remaining liquid (a cube at a time). Take care to avoid the sauce from boiling it as it will split – if there is an unplanned risk of this, lifting the pan off the hob can lower the heat quickly.
- Once all the butter has melted, remove the saucepan from the heat and continue stirring the sauce until the consistency is thick and smooth.
- Serve.
FAQ
Is beurre blanc a mother sauce?
No, buerre blanc is not one of the five mother sauces but is often regarded as the sixth.
Is beurre blanc hard to make?
As with most sauces, taking care to heat the sauce gently, regular stirring and a little preparation remove most of the risk. Take good care to avoid boiling the sauce as the lack of a binder like egg yolk means the sauce would split.
Is beurre blanc gluten free?
Yes, buerre blanc sauce contains no flour and as such is gluten-free.
