Beurre Blanc Sauce

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Traditionally, this sauce is a white butter sauce native to France, that is used as a complement to enhance a variety of foods, such as egg dishes, poultry, seafood, and vegetables. However, in many kitchens it is now also being made as a brown sauce.

Beurre Blanc Sauce is typically made as an emulsion containing white wine, vinegar, minced or chopped shallots, unsalted butter, heavy cream (or water), and seasonings. Often considered as a difficult sauce to prepare, it is more time consuming than difficult. To prepare Beurre Blanc Sauce, the shallots, wine and vinegar are combined and reduced by heating the mixture to only 10% of the original volume. The cream or water is added to the reduction and the butter is combined into the ingredients as it melts and is whisked to blend evenly. When finished, the shallots can be removed by straining the sauce or allowed to remain in order to add to the presentation appearance and texture.

There are many variations of the traditional Beurre Blanc Sauce that can be made to provide a variety different versions and flavors. Some of the most common include: Beurre Rouge a red wine butter sauce; or versions of the sauce without wine such as Beurre Citron a butter sauce which uses lemon juice instead of wine, Beurre Fondu an emulsified butter sauce, and Beurre Noisette a nutty flavored sauce with lemon juice and a cooking procedure that achieves its flavor by allowing the butter to brown.