Skip to main content

Mint Béarnaise Sauce

Ingredients

a small shallot
white wine vinegar – 3 tablespoons
black peppercorns – 6
mint leaves – 2 tablespoons, stems reserved
egg yolks – 2
butter – 10 tablespoons (150g), soft, almost melted

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Peel and finely chop the shallot, then put it in a small saucepan with the vinegar, peppercorns, and the stems from the mint leaves. Bring to a boil and watch it while it reduces to a tablespoon or so. Put the egg yolks into a heatproof bowl and place it over a pan of very lightly boiling water. The bowl should sit snugly in the top of the pan. Whisk the reduced vinegar into the egg yolks, holding back the debris in the pan, then slowly add the butter a little at a time, whisking almost constantly until it is thick and velvety.

    Step 2

    Coarsely chop the mint leaves and stir them in, then taste for salt and pepper. Check that the sauce doesn’t get too hot. It will keep warm until the lamb is cooked, with the occasional whisk, over the pan of water with the heat off.

Tender
Read More
Keep this easy frittata recipe on hand for quick breakfasts, impressive brunches, and fridge clean-out meals.
Like “spectacular” breakfast shrimp and a lentil scallion salad.
Like miso-peanut hibachi chicken and spring orzotto.
Like basil chicken stir-fry and “company-worthy” cod.
Turn humble onions into this thrifty yet luxe pasta dinner.
This sauce is slightly magical. The texture cloaks pasta much like a traditional meat sauce does, and the flavors are deep and rich, but it’s actually vegan!
Filberts, goobers, scaly bark nuts: Explore the world beyond almonds in this guide.
This chicken salad nails it—creamy, herby, and endlessly riffable.