In our house Keith is the king of breakfast. He has perfected all things breakfast and every time he cooks I am reminded why we never brunch like swanky city people. I can eat fantastic brunch in my pajamas and avoid the wait, the crowd, and the pricetag.
But the king of breakfast needs his queen.
For mother's day breakfast Keith made eggs benedict, which was a major undertaking since both sets of parents and great-grandmother Alice where visiting. (It may be worth mentioning that the king of breakfast graduated from seminary the day before) Anyway, 10 orders of eggs Benedict is a lot of work, a lot of eggs, and he needed me because...ahem...I can make a bangin' hollandaise from scratch!
I need to thank Julia Child for her detailed directions and recipe. I have transcribed it here so I never loose it. I like to use a double boiler with a copper bowl. The bowl holds the heat evenly, and the double water boil keeps the heat even and it is less likely to scaled or burn. If you do not have a proper double boiler, (which I don't) you can use a small saucepan and metal mixing bowl. Place about an inch of water in the bottom of the pan and bring it to a simmer. Add the bowl and ingredients to the low heat water when you are cooking.
Seriously, there is nothing like a perfectly rich and tangy hollandaise sauce. This is the recipe I use.
READY IN:15mins | |
YIELD:1 1/2 cups | UNITS:US |
INGREDIENTSNutrition
- 3egg yolks
- 1tablespoon water
- 1tablespoon fresh lemon juice, if needed (or more)
- 6 -8ounces very soft unsalted butter
- 1dash cayenne pepper
- salt, to taste
- fresh ground white pepper, to taste
- Whisk the yolks, water, and lemon juice in the saucepan or bowl for a few moments, until thick and pale (this prepares them for what is to come).
- Set the pan over moderately low heat and continue to whisk at reasonable speed, reaching all over the bottom and insides of the pan, where the eggs tend to overcook.
- To moderate the heat, frequently move the pan off the burner for a few seconds, and then back on. (If, by chance, the eggs seem to be cooking too fast, set the pan in the bowl of cold water to cool the bottom, then continue).
- As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, and then thicken. When you can see the pan bottom through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat. (Or just use the double boiler like I told you about above)
- By spoonfuls, add the soft butter, whisking constantly to incorporate each addition. As the emulsion forms, you may add the butter in slightly larger amounts, always whisking until fully absorbed. Continue incorporating butter until the sauce has thickened to the consistency you want.
- Season lightly with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne pepper, whisking in well. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding droplets of lemon juice if needed. Serve lukewarm
