Gouffe's method may be condensed as follows :—Take four
ounces of butter and divide the whole into six equal portions ;
next reduce two tablespoonfuls of vinegar on the fire with a
saltspoonful of salt and pepper blended, till about a teaspoonful
remains : strain, and add to it two tablespoonfuls of water, and
two yolks of eggs carefully freed from white ; put this over a
low fire for a minute, stirring it well with a wooden spoon ;
avoid boiling ; take off the fire, add one of the sixth parts
of butter, stir till melted, put it on the fire for a minute, stir
well, take it off again, and continue this process till bit by bit
the six portions of butter have been worked into the two eggs
you originally put in, and by degrees, adding a little water
now and then to prevent its curdling. The sauce should be
thick as good mayonnaise sauce, or very thick cream. Being
made at a very low temperature it can never be served “piping
hot” like other sauces ; it is necessary, therefore, to see that
the sauce-boat (a silver one if possible) should be made warm to
receive it, but not too hot, for that would curdle it.
This recipe should be very carefully noted, for the process it
prescribes is like that to be followed in making sauce BÉARNAISE,
one of the best sauces in the whole culinary répertoire for the
filet of beef. For this you only have to add a teaspoonful of
chopped tarragon, and one of tarragon vinegar before serving,
omitting at the beginning the reduced vinegar propounded for
hollandaise.