2019 Serial Wines, Cabernet Sauvignon, Paso Robles, California + Chef Jef Wright's Bearnaise Burger

Behold Chef Wright's Sauce Béarnaise recipe! We’re dolloping it on a delicious burger with a Mainly Grains Bakers Onion Bun and pairing the 2019 Serial, Cabernet Sauvignon from Paso Robles—that we delivered in our May Explorer Wine Club deliveries, along with our tasting notes. It’s a rich, fruit-forward, juicy, and balanced California Cabernet Sauvignon at a great value. A serious find and a perfect classic steakhouse burger wine. A perfect meal on a night like tonight!

This sauce can keep in the fridge for up to a week—as the flavors integrate and intensify—and can be used as a condiment on so many dishes such as a spread on a breakfast sandwich, a non-breakfast sandwich, cooked veggies like a spinach-stuffed portabella mushroom or sautéed local asparagus, and as a dip for a grilled steak.

Find the recipe below. He’s also included a shortcut that we’re calling Béarnainaise—where you can skip the homemade mayo and substitute your favorite store-bought brand. The homemade mayo is incomparable in quality, though.

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RECIPE

Sauce Béarnaise

You’ll need:

• Cutting board

• Small, shallow mixing bowl

• Wisk

• Sharp knife

• Lemon zester

• Measuring spoons

Ingredients

• ½ package of Fresh Tarragon with leaves removed and chopped. Stems reserved and cut in half.

• ½ shallot, chopped

• ½ shallot, minced

• ¼ white wine vinegar or Champagne vinegar

• 1 egg

• 1 tsp Dijon mustard

• ½ tsp Kosher salt

• 1 cup vegetable (?) oil

• lemon

Step 1: Tarragon, Shallot, Vinegar Reduction

• In a small saucepot, add the tarragon stems, a few tarragon leaves, shallot, and vinegar

• Bring to a boil, then down to a simmer.

• Let it simmer until it’s reduced by half (¼ cup). This extracts and intensifies the flavors of the tarragon and shallot.

• Strain the liquid and discard the solids.

The result is concentrated shallot and tarragon-flavored vinegar. This is the base of the sauce.

Step 2: Homemade Mayonnaise

In a small, shallow mixing bowl add:

• Crack 1 egg yolk into a small mixing bowl. Keep the yolk and discard the whites.

• 1 teaspoon of Dijon

• 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt

Wisk everything together and keep whisking while you slowly drizzle in 1 cup of oil  – a little at a time. It’s usually helpful to have another person hold on to the bowl or pour the oil for you. 

Step 3: Putting it all together

Once it is all whisked to the consistency of a mayonnaise mix in:

• 1 Tablespoon of minced shallot

• 1 Tablespoon of chopped tarragon or to taste

• 2 Tablespoons of the liquid Tarragon, Shallot, and Vinegar Reduction (from step 1)

• ½ teaspoon of fresh lemon juice or vinegar.

• 1 teaspoon lemon zest

• 1 Tablespoon black pepper

• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt

BURGER
We stopped at Pat’s Meat Market (Portland) for 3/4 of a pound and ground beef and Onion Rolls from Mainly Grains Bakers (South Portland). The beef was seasoned with salt and pepper and formed into two thick patties and cooked to our desired temps. The rolls were toasted and slathered with the sauce Béarnaise, and the burgers were topped with delicious homemade pickles to add enough acidity to balance the richness of the meat, sauce, and wine. 

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