Ingredients:

  • 2 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
  • 1 medium Shallot, minced
  • 2 cloves Garlic, minced
  • 1/2 cup Dry White Wine (such as Pinot Grigio)
  • 1 cup Heavy Whipping Cream (Double Cream, 35% fat or higher)
  • 1 Tablespoon Lemon Zest (from 1-2 large lemons)
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Lemon Juice
  • 1/3 cup finely grated Parmesan Cheese (fresh block)
  • 1/2 teaspoon Kosher Salt
  • Freshly Cracked Black Pepper, to taste
  • 1 Tablespoon Fresh Parsley or Chives, chopped (optional)

Instructions:

  1. Prep Ingredients: Zest the lemons first, then juice them. Finely mince the shallot and garlic. Grate the Parmesan. Keep the Parmesan separate for later.
  2. Sauté the Shallots: Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat. Add the shallots and cook gently for 3-4 minutes until softened and translucent, taking care not to brown them.
  3. Add Garlic: Stir in the minced garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Keep the heat very low at this stage to prevent the garlic from burning, which would ruin the sauce's flavour.
  4. Deglaze: Pour in the white wine. Bring the mixture to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan. Reduce the wine until it has cooked down by about half (approximately 3-4 minutes) to concentrate the flavour.
  5. Simmer the Cream: Pour in the heavy cream. Bring the mixture to a very gentle simmer (do not boil vigorously). Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and let the cream reduce slightly and thicken for 5-7 minutes. It should coat the back of a spoon.
  6. Remove from Heat: Once the sauce has thickened slightly, remove the pan completely from the heat source. This prevents the sauce from curdling when adding acidic components.
  7. Incorporate Lemon: Whisk in the lemon zest and the fresh lemon juice. Whisk until fully incorporated. The residual heat will cook the juice slightly without splitting the cream.
  8. Add Cheese: Gradually sprinkle in the finely grated Parmesan cheese while continuously whisking until the cheese is completely melted and smooth. The Lemon Cream Sauce should now look glossy and velvety.
  9. Season and Serve: Taste the sauce and season generously with salt and pepper. Add chopped parsley or chives if using. Serve immediately, ideally tossed with fresh pasta or drizzled over protein.