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cooking leagues, you can wow your friends, family or a special someone with a recipe worthy of Julia Child. Beurre blanc sauce, or sauce au beurre blanc, is one of those sauces that only professionals can get right without the dependable double boiler (and even they would rather do it with one). The beurre blanc sauce, literally "white butter" in French, is so rich it's almost evil.

You can serve light, creamy beurre blanc sauce over meat or vegetables for an instant gourmet meal: salmon or chicken breasts are particularly yummy (saumon au beurre blanc or poulet au beurre blanc to you Francophiles). Scallops beurre blanc? Asparagus beurre blanc? Honestly, any food is instantly million-dollar rich in this buttery sauce.

Better-Than-Julia's Beurre Blanc Recipe

4 shallots, inced very fine

1 cup white wine

1 1/2 cups heavy cream

4 sticks butter, unsalted (cut into 1" pieces)

Salt and pepper to taste (about 1/4 tsp each, if you don't trust your judgement)

Put shallots and white wine in the double boiler pan over medium heat and reduce until the wine is almost evaporated, taking care not to let it brown. Add the cream and reduce again until the cream appears thick. Add the butter, just a few pieces at a time, stirring consistently until the butter is melted and incorporated into the sauce. Add salt and pepper to tatse.

Once you've mastered Beurre Blanc, you can make it even more drool-worthy by adding herbs or flavorings. Basil leaves, hot chilies, orange zest: you're limited only by your imagination. Try making a beurre blanc rouge recipe, by using red wine instead of white. Truffle beurre blanc might be worth the expense to impress someone once you master the recipe.

Now that you've mastered the double boiler, the whole world of fine cooking is open to you. And even better, that Forbidden Zone cabinet is open too!

Learn more about this author, Elizabeth Kelly.
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