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Ginger Butter Sauce

By America's Test Kitchen

Published on June 12, 2013

Time

35 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes about 3/4 cup)

Ginger Butter Sauce

Ingredients

½ cup dry white wine 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger 3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)1 small shallot, minced (about 1 ½ tablespoons)¼ cup heavy cream 12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12 equal pieces½ teaspoon table salt Pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

  1. Combine wine, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and shallot in small saucepan; bring to boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium-high and simmer until mixture is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add cream and continue to simmer until mixture is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl; wipe out saucepan. Return mixture to saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in 2 pieces of butter until melted. Continue adding butter, 2 pieces at a time, until all butter has been incorporated, waiting until previous 2 pieces are fully incorporated before adding more. Stir in salt and cayenne; cover and keep warm.
Ginger Butter Sauce

Ginger Butter Sauce

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By America's Test Kitchen
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Time

35 minutes

Yield

Serves 4 (Makes about 3/4 cup)

Ingredients

½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 small shallot, minced (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
¼ cup heavy cream
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12 equal pieces
½ teaspoon table salt
Pinch cayenne pepper

Ingredients

½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 small shallot, minced (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
¼ cup heavy cream
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12 equal pieces
½ teaspoon table salt
Pinch cayenne pepper

Ingredients

½ cup dry white wine
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger
3 medium garlic cloves, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon)
1 small shallot, minced (about 1 ½ tablespoons)
¼ cup heavy cream
12 tablespoons (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, cold, cut into 12 equal pieces
½ teaspoon table salt
Pinch cayenne pepper

Why This Recipe Works

To devise a pan-seared scallop recipe with a great crust, we seared the scallops in oil, then basted them in butter. Waiting to add the butter ensured that it had enough time to work its browning magic on the scallops, but not enough time to burn. When using scallops treated with sodium tripolyphosphate (a common preservative), we eliminated the chemical flavor in our seared scallop recipe by briefly brining the shellfish in a solution of water, lemon juice, and salt.

Instructions

  1. Combine wine, vinegar, ginger, garlic, and shallot in small saucepan; bring to boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium-high and simmer until mixture is reduced by half, about 5 minutes. Add cream and continue to simmer until mixture is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes longer. Strain mixture through fine-mesh strainer into small bowl; wipe out saucepan. Return mixture to saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk in 2 pieces of butter until melted. Continue adding butter, 2 pieces at a time, until all butter has been incorporated, waiting until previous 2 pieces are fully incorporated before adding more. Stir in salt and cayenne; cover and keep warm.

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