Sauce Bearnaise 4 tablespoons white wine vinegar 2 tablespoons dried tarragon 1/4 cup finely chopped shallots or scallions 1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly-ground pepper 3 tablespoons water 3 egg yolks 1/2 pound butter In a heavy nonreactive saucepan place the vinegar, tarragon, shallots, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and cook down until moisture almost disappears. Add water and egg yolks and stir briskly with a wire whisk over low heat until the sauce has thickened to the consistency of mayonnaise. In another saucepan, melt butter. Cool butter to the touch and slowly, in a thin stream, add to the yolk mixture. Sauce should be warm, not hot.