Kurut with dried dill, served with fresh parsley Rehydrated Kurut Dip with Dill & Olive Oil Saucy Galbi served with sesame seeds and cilantro Braised Short Ribs (Galbi-jjim Style) Freshly baked pumpkin seed biscuits Roasted Pumpkin Seed Biscuits Spiced Honey Cake served Spiced Honey Cake Chocolate lava cake with gooey center Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes Roasted sausage served with mustard Oven-Roasted Sausages with Mustard Fideuà with cuttlefish served, garnished with fresh parsley Seafood Pasta with Cuttlefish (Fideuà) Haleem with vegetables served, rich, thick and spicy dish Vegetable Haleem Stew Blue cheese croissants served Blue Cheese Croissants Chocolate cream cake with chocolate glaze Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake Tinda dahi with yogurt and cilantro, garnished with fresh lime leaf Creamy Yogurt Curried Squash (Tinda Masala) Spicy Biltong with lime slices and cilantro Spicy Biltong Salad with Lime Martabak Manis with condensed milk, chocolate, and banana Indonesian Sweet Pancake (Martabak Manis) Spicy Shakshuka with eggs and vegetables. Spicy Turkish Vegetable Shakshuka (Şakşuka) Frikadeller served with brown gravy and fresh parsley Danish Pork Meatballs (Frikadeller) with Gravy Creamy cauliflower and swiss chard soup served in a bowl Creamy Cauliflower & Swiss Chard Soup Strawberry cheesecake crepes plated Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes Oopsie bread low carb cloud bread fresh from the oven Oopsie Bread - Low Carb Cloud Bread Beef and yuba stir-fry with soy sauce and vegetables Beef & Yuba Stir-Fry Zeppole filled with sour cherry jam and dusted with sugar Sour Cherry Filled Italian Donuts Kurut with dried dill, served with fresh parsley Rehydrated Kurut Dip with Dill & Olive Oil Saucy Galbi served with sesame seeds and cilantro Braised Short Ribs (Galbi-jjim Style) Freshly baked pumpkin seed biscuits Roasted Pumpkin Seed Biscuits Spiced Honey Cake served Spiced Honey Cake Chocolate lava cake with gooey center Molten Chocolate Lava Cakes Roasted sausage served with mustard Oven-Roasted Sausages with Mustard Fideuà with cuttlefish served, garnished with fresh parsley Seafood Pasta with Cuttlefish (Fideuà) Haleem with vegetables served, rich, thick and spicy dish Vegetable Haleem Stew Blue cheese croissants served Blue Cheese Croissants Chocolate cream cake with chocolate glaze Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge Cake Tinda dahi with yogurt and cilantro, garnished with fresh lime leaf Creamy Yogurt Curried Squash (Tinda Masala) Spicy Biltong with lime slices and cilantro Spicy Biltong Salad with Lime Martabak Manis with condensed milk, chocolate, and banana Indonesian Sweet Pancake (Martabak Manis) Spicy Shakshuka with eggs and vegetables. Spicy Turkish Vegetable Shakshuka (Şakşuka) Frikadeller served with brown gravy and fresh parsley Danish Pork Meatballs (Frikadeller) with Gravy Creamy cauliflower and swiss chard soup served in a bowl Creamy Cauliflower & Swiss Chard Soup Strawberry cheesecake crepes plated Strawberry Cheesecake Crepes Oopsie bread low carb cloud bread fresh from the oven Oopsie Bread - Low Carb Cloud Bread Beef and yuba stir-fry with soy sauce and vegetables Beef & Yuba Stir-Fry Zeppole filled with sour cherry jam and dusted with sugar Sour Cherry Filled Italian Donuts
Tarragon lemon butter sauce served in a bowl
Creamy and flavorful sauce with lemon and tarragon

Tarragon Lemon Butter Sauce

Author: Flavelo
Sauces and Gravies Recipes
This sauce is a lighter, herbed cousin of the classic French 'beurre blanc'. The richness of butter is cut by the acidity of lemon, while tarragon adds a distinct anise-like, peppery character. It's a perfect example of how temperature control and texture can create restaurant-quality results with just a few ingredients.
🕒 Prep Time 10 mins
🍳 Cook Time 15 mins
⌛ Total Time 25 mins
🍽️ Servings 4 servings
🔥 Calories 220 kcal
🌍 Cuisine French Style

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

  • Small saucepan (light-colored interior preferred to see color)
  • Whisk
  • Knife and cutting board

Allergen Information

⚠️ Milk

Instructions

1 ✓

Prep ingredients: wash, dry, and finely chop the tarragon. Cut the butter into cubes and keep refrigerated until needed.

Tip: Butter temperature is critical: cold butter melts slower, forming a stable emulsion.
2 ✓

Boil the stock in a small saucepan until reduced by half.

Tip: Reduction concentrates flavor so the sauce doesn't taste watery.
3 ✓

Reduce heat to medium. Pour in cream and lemon juice. Stir and warm through, but avoid a hard boil.

Tip: Lemon acidity can curdle cream at high heat, so be gentle.
4 ✓

Reduce heat to low. Whisk in cold butter cubes 2-3 pieces at a time. Only add more once the previous batch has melted and emulsified.

Tip: This technique, 'monter au beurre', disperses butter fat for a glossy, thick sauce.
5 ✓

Once all butter is incorporated and sauce is velvety, remove from heat. Stir in tarragon, salt, and white pepper.

Tip: White pepper is used in light sauces for a cleaner look and refined taste.
6 ✓

Serve immediately; reheating can break the emulsion.

Tip: This is an 'à la minute' sauce, meant for immediate service.

Recipe FAQ

Why cold butter?
If you add melted butter, it will just separate. Cold butter melts slowly, allowing you to whisk it into a creamy emulsion.
What if the sauce breaks?
Remove from heat, add a tablespoon of ice-cold water, and whisk vigorously. This often restores the emulsion.

Ingredients

  • 3.5 oz butter (cold, cubed)
  • 1 tbsp fresh tarragon (chopped)
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1/4 cup heavy cream
  • 1 pinch salt
  • 1 pinch ground white pepper