BBC - Radio 4 Woman's Hour

Paloise refers to the fact that this sauce originated in Pau, which is the capital of the Bearn region; it is a modern variation on the classic barnaise using mint instead of tarragon. It would be delicious with grilled lamb fillet and some new potatoes.

Ingredients

4 tbsp white wine vinegar
4 tbsp white wine
1 small shallot, chopped
generous sprig of chervil
scrap of mace
4 peppercorns
small bayleaf
4 large sprigs of mint, leafs picked, stalks roughly chopped
2 large egg yolks
200g butter, melted &cooled slightly
1 lemon
Salt &pepper

Method

Place the wine &vinegar in a small saucepan with the shallot, chervil, bay, mace, peppercorns and mint stalks, reduce by 2/3rds and strain.

Whisk the yolks with a tbsp of the reduction in a bowl over a pan of boiling water (the bowl should not be touching the water) until thick.

Gradually add the melted butter whilst whisking continuously, if the sauce gets very thick add a touch more of the reduction, carry on whisking until you have added all the butter except for the milky bit at the bottom of the pan.

Taste and add the rest of the reduction and a touch of lemon juice if you think it lacks sharpness.

Just before serving, finely chop the mint leaves and stir them in.

Reproduced by kind permission of Rosie Sykes, Chef at the Sutton Arms Pub nr Smithfields Market, London

Ingredients

Method

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