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Beurre blanc

Name: Beurre blanc
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: Serves 6
Cuisine: French recipes
Ingredients: 125ml chardonnay vinegar (or cider vinegar, see introduction); 175ml dry white wine; 1 small onion, sliced; 2-3 black peppercorns; ½ tsp sea salt flakes; 80ml double cream; 250g salted butter, chopped into 2cm cubes; To finish (optional); Trout roe; Finely chopped chives, dill and shallots; Pickled dulse seaweed

By: Adam Byatt

Published: 6 Mar 25
Updated: 26 May 25

Learn how to make beurre blanc with this recipe from chef Adam Byatt. This classic rich and buttery French sauce is perfect with asparagus or fish.

Adam says: “A delightfully rich sauce, beurre blanc is brilliant with poached fish and veg. My version has an underlying sweetness, but if you’d prefer more acidity, use cider vinegar instead of chardonnay.”

“This recipe is the same one used at my restaurant, Trinity. We add lots of lovely things such as shallots, pickled dulse, chives and trout roe, but even just some finely chopped chives will finish it off perfectly. It’s the classic sauce with asparagus, or add chopped basil and serve with a roasted piece of sole or cod.”

Next, master Adam’s peppercorn sauce recipe for your next steak night.

Easy
March 2025

Test kitchen approved

Serves 6
Prep time 5 min. Cook time 45 min

Learn how to make beurre blanc with this recipe from chef Adam Byatt. This classic rich and buttery French sauce is perfect with asparagus or fish.

Next, master Adam’s peppercorn sauce recipe for your next steak night.

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 396kcals
Fat: 41g (26g saturated)
Protein: 0.6g
Carbohydrates: 0.8g (0.7g sugars)
Fibre: 0g
Salt: 0.8g

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Ingredients

125ml chardonnay vinegar (or cider vinegar, see introduction)
175ml dry white wine
1 small onion, sliced
2-3 black peppercorns
½ tsp sea salt flakes
80ml double cream
250g salted butter, chopped into 2cm cubes

To finish (optional)

Trout roe
Finely chopped chives, dill and shallots
Pickled dulse seaweed

Method

Add the vinegar, wine, onion, peppercorns and salt to a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cover with a cartouche (see Know-how), then leave to
simmer gently and reduce until almost entirely dry – there should be no more than 1 tbsp liquid in the pan. This will take around 30 minutes.
Discard the cartouche, pour in the cream, boil for 2 minutes, then start incorporating the butter, bit by bit, whisking in each addition before adding the next. You should be left with a thick, golden sauce.
Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a clean pan. Add the trout roe, herbs, shallots and seaweed to finish (if using), then serve.

Recipe from March 2025 Issue

Nutrition

Nutrition: per serving

Calories: 396kcals
Fat: 41g (26g saturated)
Protein: 0.6g
Carbohydrates: 0.8g (0.7g sugars)
Fibre: 0g
Salt: 0.8g

delicious. tips

A cartouche is a piece of baking paper cut to fit inside the pan and cover the surface of the liquid. It gives ingredients time to cook by making sure the liquid doesn’t evaporate too quickly.