Hollandaise (from scratch)

Ingredients

1. 3 piece large organic egg yolks
2. 15 ml water
3. 175 g organic unsalted butter, melted and kept warm
4. 15 ml fresh organic lemon juice, plus more to taste
5. 0.25 tsp fine sea salt
6. 1 pinch white pepper or cayenne

Step-by-step method

1. Clarify the butter (optional but foolproof). Melt the butter in a small pan over low heat. Skim the foam. Pour off the golden butter, leaving the milky solids behind. Keep it warm, not hot.
2. Set up a gentle bain-marie. Bring 3 cm (1 in) of water to a bare simmer in a saucepan. Sit a heatproof bowl on top so its base does not touch the water. Put a damp towel under your work surface.
3. Whisk the yolks. In the bowl, whisk the yolks with the tablespoon of water for about 1 minute, until pale, thick and doubled in volume, with ribbons that hold for a second.
4. Add the butter by drips. Take the bowl off the heat if it feels hot. Add the warm butter a few drops at a time, whisking constantly. When the sauce begins to thicken, add it in a slow thin stream.
5. Season. Whisk in the lemon juice, salt and pepper. Taste. It should be bright and rich. Add more lemon if it needs lifting.
6. Adjust thickness. If too thick, whisk in 1 tsp warm water at a time.
7. Serve right away, or hold in a warm (not hot) bowl for up to 30 minutes.

Chef’s tips

• If it looks scrambled or grainy: it got too hot. Take it off the heat, whisk in a tablespoon of cold water, and pass through a fine sieve.
• If it splits (oily and curdled): put a fresh yolk and 1 tsp water in a clean bowl, whisk, then drip the broken sauce in slowly like it was butter. It comes back every time. [photo: rescue in progress]
• Blender shortcut: put the yolks, water and lemon in a blender. With the motor running, pour in the hot melted butter in a thin stream. Seconds, not minutes, and very reliable.
• Do not let the sauce sit near the stove. It dislikes heat even more than it dislikes waiting.

Variations

• Maltaise: swap lemon for blood-orange juice and a little zest (add 0.5 g carbs).
• Mustard hollandaise: whisk in 1 tsp Dijon (check it has no added sugar).
• Herb: fold in 1 Tbsp finely chopped organic chives or dill.
• Smoked paprika or chipotle: for roasted cauliflower and eggs.

Storage

Best eaten fresh. Hold up to 30 minutes in a warm bowl set over warm (not hot) water. Leftovers keep covered in the refrigerator 1 day; rewarm by whisking a spoonful at a time into a spoonful of warm water, never over direct heat. ---

Questions and answers