Sauce auscitaine

6 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
6 Egg yolks
4 Shallots
250 grams Duck/goose fat
12 Mint leaves
100 millilitres Red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon Red wine
1 Tarragon sprig
Salt
6 White peppercorns

Directions

Chop the shallots finely with half the mint, and the tarragon. Reduce this in a small saucepan with the crushed peppercorns, the wine and vinegar, to about a quarter of its original volume. Strain and keep warm. Meanwhile gently warm the fat to melt it, without letting it become hot.

Place the egg yolks with the reduction in the top part of a double saucepan, and put near boiling water in the bottom part. Put the two parts of the pan together, and over gentle heat, start beating the egg mixture forthwith. Have a bowl of cold water to one side to stop the cooking if the mixture overheats. (A further insurance policy is to have a glass of cold water, ready to slop in if the egg yolks seem to be curdling!)

Over heat, therefore, beat the yolks until they start thickening and sticking to the wires of the whisk. Gradually add the fat, beating the while. The sauce will thicken, keep beating over very low heat. When the fat is added, separate the pan, and beat a minute over cool water, to stop any risk of further cooking (and curdling). Add the other half of the chopped mint leaves, correct seasoning and serve immediately. This sauce neither keeps hot, nor reheats well.

Recipe after Andr‚ Daguin, Hotel de France Auch MMed IMH c/o Georges' Home BBS 2:323/4⅖

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