butter
Butter is a dairy product made from the fat and protein components of churned cream. It is a semi-solid emulsion at room temperature, consisting of approximately 80% butterfat. It is used at room temperature as a spread, melted as a condimen ...
that remains
emulsified
An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (unmixable or unblendable) owing to liquid-liquid phase separation. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Although ...
, even at temperatures higher than that at which butter usually breaks down. ''Beurre monté'' may refer either to the melted butter
sauce
In cooking, a sauce is a liquid, cream, or semi-solid food, served on or used in preparing other foods. Most sauces are not normally consumed by themselves; they add flavor, moisture, and visual appeal to a dish. ''Sauce'' is a French wor ...
itself, or to the method of making it.
Butter is an
emulsion
An emulsion is a mixture of two or more liquids that are normally immiscible (unmixable or unblendable) owing to liquid-liquid phase separation. Emulsions are part of a more general class of two-phase systems of matter called colloids. Altho ...
of about 2% milk solids, 80% milk fats (clarified butter), and about 18% water. At , butter normally breaks down into its components parts, but in a ''beurre monté'', the butter is heated in such a way that the butter can stay emulsified even up to . It can then be used in many ways, including as a sauce, as an ingredient for other sauces, as a
poaching
Poaching has been defined as the illegal hunting or capturing of wild animals, usually associated with land use rights.
Poaching was once performed by impoverished peasants for subsistence purposes and to supplement meager diets. It was set a ...
medium, or as a resting medium for cooked meat.
To make a ''beurre monté'', boil a very small quantity of water, i.e. 15–60 ml (1–4 tablespoons). Once water has come to a boil, turn the heat down and start whisking the cold butter into the water, one or two chunks at a time. Add more butter whenever the chunks have melted. Once the emulsion is started, more butter can be added at a time. Continue adding butter while whisking until one has the desired quantity of ''beurre monté''. The ''beurre monté'' must then be held warm, but under or else it will break.
Beurre noisette
''Beurre noisette'' (, literally: hazelnut butter, loosely: brown butter) is a type of warm sauce used in French cuisine. It can accompany savoury foods, such as winter vegetables, pasta, fish, omelettes, and chicken.Beurre Monté: The Workhorse Sauce from ''
The French Laundry Cookbook
''The French Laundry Cookbook'' is a 1999 cookbook written by American chefs Thomas Keller, Michael Ruhlman, and Susie Heller; illustrated by Deborah Jones. The book features recipes from Keller's restaurant The French Laundry. It won the 2000 Inte ...