Béarnaise sauce

Béarnaise sauce is a traditional sauce for steak, however I served it with asparagus among pork medallions. The sauce was likely first made by the chef Collinet, the inventor of puffed potatoes (pommes de terre soufflées) and served at the 1836 opening of "Le Pavillon Henri IV", a restaurant at Saint-Germain-en-Laye, not far from Paris. Evidence for this is reinforced by the fact that the restaurant was named for King Henry IV, a gourmet himself, who was born in the former province of Béarn. Like Hollandaise sauce, Béarnaise sauce is an emulsion of butter in egg yolks. The difference is only in their flavoring: Béarnaise uses a reduction of vinegar and tarragon, while Hollandaise uses lemon juice. Such emulsions require some practice to prepare properly. The prime dangers are curdling the egg yolk mixture through excessive heat, and separation of the emulsion by rushing the addition of clarified butter. (source:wikipedia)

Ingredients:
250 g butter
3 egg yolks
4 tablespoon white wine
1 shallot
5-6 white peppercorns
4 tablespoon tarragon vinegar
fresh tarragon

Melt butter and remove the whey. Chop shallot, mince peppercorns and together with the vinegar bring to boil and reduce to 1 tablespoon, sieve and set aside. In a pot bring water to boil and in another bowl add egg yolks, wine, the reduction and 1 pinch of salt. Over steam beat egg yolks until it gets thick and foamy. Add butter in thin spurt and keep on whisking. Season with salt, pepper and fresh chopped tarragon.