Britannia’s entrecôte with béarnaise sauce

Approach

1. 1

   Make clarified butter: melt the butter in a saucepan without stirring it during the process. Let it sit for about 20 minutes until all the milk solids have sunk to the bottom. Then carefully pour off the clear butter without including the milk solids. You can also use a coffee filter for this.

2. 2

   Bring the steak to room temperature, and season it well with salt and pepper while the butter is clarifying.
3. 3

   Sear the steak in a frying pan over high heat with plenty of salt and pepper, about 2 minutes on each side. As it nears done, add a good knob of butter and thyme, and baste the steak with the melted butter using a spoon. If the steak is thick, it may need to be finished in the oven. A medium steak should reach an internal temperature of about 54–56°C, while a well-done steak should be around 60°C.

4. 4

   Make béarnaise: reduce the white wine and vinegar by half in a saucepan. Separate the egg yolks and place them in a bowl over a water bath. Add the white wine reduction while whisking constantly until the yolks become light, airy, and warm. This may take some time. Gradually whisk in the clarified butter, little by little. Finally, season with Tabasco, Worcestershire sauce, salt, lemon, and finely chopped tarragon.

5. 5

   Steam some cabbage leaves and boil beet wedges until they are tender.
6. 6

   Plating: warm a serving plate. Slice the steak across into neat strips and place them on the bottom of the plate. Spoon over the cooking butter from the steak. Serve the béarnaise sauce on the side.