Brown Butter Lends Lush, Hazelnut Taste to Variety of Foods

Beginning of article

As the sauce bubbles away on the stove, a sweet scent reminiscent of roasting almonds fills the room.

Step closer to the pan, and you'll see that it's not a milky, nut- infused topping, but instead a thin, golden brown liquid. Another whiff of the warm nuttiness tells you that neither vegetable nor chicken stock nor even beer simmers in the pan. Instead, the sole ingredient of this rich, aromatic sauce is butter.

Can't believe it's just butter? Doubt it or not. In French it's referred to as beurre noisette, or hazelnut butter, but we know it best as brown butter sauce.

Since medieval times, French chefs have incorporated beurre noisette into their cooking. …