Hollandais Sauce

Hollandaise Sauce, a velvety blend of butter, egg yolks, and lemon, traces its origins to French haute cuisine, yet its name hints at a different birthplace—the Netherlands. Initially crafted in the 17th century, this rich sauce found fame in French kitchens, adorning eggs Benedict, asparagus, and seafood with its luxurious texture and tangy flavor. Embark on a culinary journey through time with this classic sauce, elevating dishes to delectable heights with its timeless allure.

Ingredients

Serves 2

• 200g unsalted butter
• 10g finely chopped shallot
• 3 tbsp. white wine or tarragon vinegar
• 2 egg yolks
• 3 crushed black peppercorns
• Lemon juice

Method

1. Clarify the butter.
2. Reduce the vinegar, shallots and peppercorns by half then add a splash of water, allow to cool.
3. Pour into a bowl and add egg yolks.
4. Whisk the egg yolks over a pan of boiling water until it ribbons, then remove from the heat.
5. Add the clarified butter a little at a time.
6. Add the seasoning and lemon juice and serve.

Tips

1. If this sauce becomes too thick add a little warm water to thin it down.
2. Shallot can be swapped for onion or omitted.
3. White wine vinegar could be replaced by rice wine or cider vinegar.

Other Sauces

From a Hollandaise you can make these other sauces as well:-

• Bearnaise:  add chopped tarragon and chervil
• Maltaise:  add reduced blood orange juice
• Choron:  add diced tomato flesh, chopped tarragon and chervil
• Palloise:  add chopped mint
• Sauce mousseline:  fold in whipped cream