Rich, creamy, luxurious, the Beurre blanc is a highly versatile sauce originated from France. In my opinion, it pairs very well with the majority of white fish, as well as scallops. The buttery taste combined with a little tang enhances the natural umami of seafood while eliminating the unpleasant fishy taste seafood may contain. My take on the classic beurre blanc adds zest of lemon / citrus fruits to the sauce, which elevates the elegant flavour of the sauce.
Ingredients (serves 2)
- 60ml white wine
- 1-2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbs shallot, finely chopped
- 1/2 tbs heavy cream
- 40-50g butter
- white pepper, salt to taste
- Zest of 1/2 lemon
Instructions:
- Combine white wine, chopped shallot, lemon juice in a saucepan, cook over medium heat, until most liquid has evaporated, only 1tbs left in the pan.
- Stir in heavy cream, continue cooking 1-2 mins, then switch to low heat.
- Divide cold butter into 5-6 portions, add to the sauce pan one at a time
- Whisk continuously until butter melts completely before adding more. Remember to cook over low heat, the temperature of the sauce should be around 50 ℃
- The final sauce should be homogeneous, rich, smooth, like a hollandaise sauce. Remove from heat once the sauce reaches the right consistency. Season with salt and white pepper.
- Optional: pour sauce through a sieve to discard shallot.
- Mix with zest of lemon, serve immediately.
Serve beurre blanc with any white fish like cod, black cod, scallops, mackerel, halibut. Simply season seafood with salt and pepper. You can pan sear, bake, or steam it until fully cooked. For example, season 300g cod fish with salt and pepper, let sit for 1 hour. Bake at 180℃ for 15 minutes.
notes:
- You can use onion instead of shallot. Difference is minor
- Adding capers is also a good idea, its tartness and lemony tang pairs well with seafood
- Using a heat-resistant silicon whisk is recommended, so you don’t scratch the pan
- I replaced white wine vinegar which is commonly used for making beurre blanc with lemon juice, because it’s easier to get, and it makes the sauce milder
- You can be creative with the final touch (lemon zest). Try using yuzu, you will be amazed
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