Beurre Blanc

Beurre blanc, a sauce of butter suspended in white wine, is centuries old. Also called beurre nantais, after its hometown of Nantes, France, it’s is part of a family of French butter sauces that occasionally inspire fear due to their tendency to break over high heat. (Here’s looking at you, béarnaise and hollandaise sauces.)

But classic beurre blanc is forgiving, in part because it involves zero egg yolks to curdle, and this one is even more foolproof thanks to a small pour of cream, which helps the wine and butter combine. Still, take your time whisking in the cold unsalted butter over low heat to keep the velvety emulsion intact.

Any dry white wine will work here, including Sauvignon Blanc, unoaked Chardonnay, or Pinot Gris or Grigio. For finishing, pour the finished sauce through a fine-mesh strainer if you prefer a smoother texture, or add finely chopped parsley or tarragon for color and flavor. (The sauce will no longer reflect its name, which translates to “white butter,” but will still taste delicious.) Or add a spritz of lemon juice if you’d like it brighter (all depends on the wine you chose). Serve your beurre blanc with baked salmon, poached chicken, pan-seared scallops, or steamed veggies, or dollop it on top of scrambled eggs.