Dreaded Hollandaise.
A recipe that drives fear into the hearts of many a weekend warrior chef. Here is a recipe that will git-r-done.....remember to follow the directions carefully and watch the yolks!!!! Take your eyes off for ten seconds and bam! You may have a dead sauce on your hands.
Ingredients
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon H2O
- 1/4 teaspoon sugar
- 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces (mmmm....)
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- white or black pepper to your taste
Create a double boiler by adding 1-2 inches of water in a small pot that will allow a mixing bowl to settle right on top, nesting just inside so the steam will condense on it rather than escaping into your kitchen. I use a Pyrex bowl, but traditionally a stainless steal vessel is used. I feel this allows me greater control, but beware as this stuff holds its heat well, cannot get it too hot or, you guessed it, dead sauce. Experiment my friends.....that's what cooking is all about.
Add egg yolks and H2O to your bowl(still room temp), approximately 1 to 2 minutes. Don't worry, your forearm will recover. Then add sugar and continue beatin' that mix for 30 more seconds.
Now place your bowl over the pot and allow it to heat gently while whisking vigorously. Do this until you can see a line in the mix behind your whisk. Then proceed as below
Start adding butter one tablespoon at a time taking it off and on double boiler, just enough to melt the butter. Do not leave on boiler or you will break your sauce!!!!! That is disaster in the culinary world....though you may be able to fix with one or two newly whisked egg yolks....maybe. Once all butter is encorporated, add your lemon juice, salt and pepper if desired. Serve ASAP. Its important to do this last as the longer it stands the more likely it will start to break and that is what I call suboptimal.....
Now you've got the best hollandaise possible. Simple recipe you can amaze your friends with at a moments notice. You will seldom get this kind of decadence even in a 5 star restaurant.
Chef Geoff
Thanks again to the master Alton Brown for his insight into this culinary delight.
