Steamed Vegetables with Beurre Blanc

Beurre Blanc, translated directly to french, means "white butter". In culinary terms, Beurre Blanc is a butter sauce made with a reduction of white wine, shallots and melted butter. Despite being a rich sauce, it is best severed over lighter fare such as vegetables and fish.

This recipe is adapted from Christine Cushing Live.

Ingredients:
1 large shallot, very finely chopped
1/4 cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
Coarse salt and freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

*It is important that your butter is COLD. Room temperature or melted butter will not work.

Directions:

1. Add shallot, wine and vinegar to a small saucepan over high heat. Stir to combine. Bring to a boil and reduce mixture to about 2 tbsp. Do not let the sauce over reduce!

2. Remove pan from heat. Start whisking the wine/vinegar mixture. While whisking, add the cold butter a little at a time. Make sure the butter melts slowly into the sauce. If the butter melts too quickly, the sauce will separate. When all the butter is emulsified into the sauce, season with salt and pepper.

3. Serve immediately over assorted steamed vegetables, or fish (I spooned some over a salmon steak as well as my vegetables).

Note: FYI - This sauce does NOT do well as left overs. If you try to re-heat in the microwave, the sauce will separate and you will end up with an oily mess.