An absolute classic from Great British Menu contestant Chef Guy Owen. Béarnaise sauce adds a touch of luxurious decadence to a meal and we love it drizzled over the top of a perfectly poached St Ewe egg.
Take a pan and pour in the vinegar. Add the sliced shallot and peppercorns. Gently heat over a medium heat until the volume of liquid has reduced by just over half. Strain and set aside until completely cooled.
Melt the butter in a pan over a medium heat (be careful not to get any colour on this). Once melted turn off the heat and set aside.
Lightly beat the egg yolks then stir in the cooled vinegar mixture and a good squeeze of lemon juice.
Pour the mixture into a bowl suspended over a pan of barely simmering water (make sure the base of the bowl doesn't touch the water). Whisk constantly until the sauce has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon and has increased in volume.
Remove the bowl from the heat and very slowly pour in the now clarified butter in a continuous stream, whisking continuously as you go, until the mixture is thick and smooth. Fold in the tarragon leaves and season to taste.