tarragon

Tarragon

Tarragon is widely used in French cooking, but not too much, as it can overpower your recipe.

It will enhance the flavour of anything it is added to, and is great when added to a cream sauce for chicken, or in an omelette or good old scrambled eggs.

How to store Tarragon:

Refrigerate fresh tarragon bunches with the stems in a glass of water up to one week, or wrap loose leaves with a damp paper towel before refrigerating in a plastic bag.

Bearnaise Sauce

160ml (2/3 cup) white wine
60ml (1/4 cup) white wine vinegar
2 French shallots, finely chopped
1 teaspoon tarragon
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
3 egg yolks
250g butter, chilled, chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon

Make the reduction: Combine wine, vinegar, shallots, tarragon and peppercorns in a small saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes or until liquid reduces to 2 tablespoons. Strain through a fine sieve into a heatproof bowl. Discard shallot mixture.
Cook the sauce: Place the bowl containing the wine mixture over a saucepan of simmering water (make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water). Add egg yolks. Use a balloon whisk to whisk for 2 minutes or until pale and frothy. Add butter, a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly after each addition, until the sauce is thick and velvety. Remove from heat. Stir in tarragon.