Nightshade Free Fennel Béarnaise Sauce

Total time30 min

Prep time15 min

Cook time15 min

4.9

(19)

Classic béarnaise is already a showstopper, but this version swaps the traditional white wine and wine vinegar for a white grape juice reduction that keeps every ingredient firmly in safe territory for anyone avoiding nightshades. The fennel bulb adds a gentle, anise-like sweetness to the reduction that plays beautifully with the fresh tarragon, giving the finished sauce a layered, aromatic depth you wouldn't expect from such a short ingredient list. Whisking the egg yolks over a double boiler until they hit 160°F means you get that signature silky, ribbon-thick texture without cutting any corners on food safety. Then the butter goes in one tablespoon at a time — slow, patient, and worth every second — until the sauce is glossy, rich, and coats the back of a spoon like a dream. A final stir of finely chopped tarragon leaves keeps the herb flavor bright and fresh rather than cooked-down and muted. Spoon it over grilled steak, roasted asparagus, or poached fish and it will absolutely steal the show at the table.

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Ingredients

4 servings

For the reduction

3 tbsp white grape juice
3 tbsp water
1 tbsp fresh tarragon stems, roughly chopped
2 tbsp fennel bulb, finely chopped

For the sauce

3 pasteurized egg yolks
½ cup unsalted butter, cut into 1-tbsp pieces
¼ tsp salt
2 tbsp fresh tarragon leaves, finely chopped

Instructions

1
Combine the white grape juice, water, chopped tarragon stems, and fennel in a small saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer and cook until the liquid reduces to about 2 tablespoons, 5–7 minutes. Pour through a fine-mesh strainer into a heatproof bowl, pressing the solids to extract all the liquid; discard the solids.
2
Add the pasteurized egg yolks to the strained reduction in the heatproof bowl and whisk until the mixture is smooth and slightly thickened.

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