Beurre blanc, light and creamy, goes back to Escoffier and beyond but is newly popular as a sauce of the nouvelle cuisine. It is easy to make with a wire whisk – an essential tool to achieve the liaison between liquid and butter which gives the sauce body. Serve with mousselines or quenelles, shellfish, poached or grilled fish, chicken, eggs and vegetables such as broccoli, cauliflower and artichokes.