Clay's Kitchen : Sauce and Stock Recipes

Sauce and Stock Recipes

© Copyright 1995-2023, Clay Irving <clay@panix.com>, Manhattan Beach, CA USA

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Beurre Noisette

Recipe from: The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker
Servings: About 5 tablespoons

Beurre noisette — Literally hazelnut butter — gets it's name from the brown, nutty taste. Unsalted butter is melted over low heat and allowed to separate into butterfat and milk solids. The milk solids naturally sink to the bottom of the pan and, if left over gentle heat, will begin to brown. As the milk solids reach a toasty hazelnut color, the pan is removed from the heat.

Make this quickly in the same skillet you have cooked fish and serve it over the fish — or make it separately to use as a sauce for green vegetables.

4 to 5 tablespoons butter, preferably unsalted
1 teaspoon white wine vinegar or fresh lemon juice
salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Melt butter in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Cook slowly, shaking or stirring so that it cooks evenly. Watch as the butter begins to foam; it can burn easily. Remove the butter from the heat when it becomes light brown and smells nutty. Stir in the vinegar or lemon juice and the salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Sauces Derived from Beurre Noisette

Beurre Meunière, Lemon ButterAdd lemon juice and 1 tablespoon finely chopped parsley
Beurre Noir, Black ButterCook the butter until it is dark brown
Sauce PolonaiseAdd minced shallots and bread crumbs


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