Ingredients

1/4 cup champagne vinegar or white wine vinegar
1/4 cup of good white wine
2 tablespoons of minced shallot
3 tablespoons fresh tarragon leaves, chopped and divided
kosher salt, to taste
fresh ground pepper, to taste
3 extra-large egg yolk
1/2 lb unsalted butter, melted
6 rib eye steak (1-inch thick)
olive oil
fresh coarse ground black pepper

Directions

For the sauce:Put the Champagne Vinegar, white wine, shallots, 1 tablespoon of the chopped tarragon leaves, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper in a small saucepan.Bring to a boil and simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the mixture is reduced to a few tablespoons.Cool slightly.

Place the cooled mixture with the egg yolks and 1 teaspoon of salt in the jar of a blender and blend for 30 seconds.With the blender on, slowly pour the hot butter through the opening in the lid.Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of chopped tarragon leaves and blend only for a second.If the sauce is too thick, add a tablespoon of white wine to thin.Keep at room temperature until serving.Season the steaks liberally with salt and coarsely ground black pepper on both sides.

Heat a thin layer of olive oil in a saute pan over high heat until it’s almost smoking, then sear the steaks on each side for 1 minute.Lower the heat to low and cook the steaks for about 7 to 10 minutes, turning once, until very rare in the middle.Remove to a plate, cover tightly with aluminum foil and allow to sit for 10 minutes.

Serve with the Bearnaise Sauce on the side.Before serving, add 1 tablespoon of the hottest tap water and blend for a few seconds.