Rebecca Nielsen's Recipe

Lighter than Air Hollandaise Sauce

Category: Sauces and marinades

Serves/Makes: about 1 1/2 cups
Difficulty: 2
Prep/Cook Time: 10 minutes

You can use a regular wire whisk but if you can, invest in a balloon whisk with a floating wire ball inside. It shortens the whisking time and "puffs" up your sauce incredibly.

Charge a Thermos or hot travel mug with boiling water to have a place to put the hollandaise sauce when done. This will last a really long time, I am actually eating left over asparagus with the sauce for breakfast and it is just as good as last night.

Ingredients:

4 extra large egg yolks
1 t water
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature, divided into 8 pieces
1/2 t kosher salt
1/2 t freshly ground pepper
juice of one lemon
a scant pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions:

Pour an inch of water into a large saucepan. Bring to simmer over medium heat then lower heat to very low. Place egg yolks and water into a glass bowl that will fit over pan without touching the water. Before putting bowl over the pan whisk for about 1 to 2 minutes until eggs lighten in color and are slightly thick.

Now place the bowl over the pan of simmering water and whisk constantly for 3 to 5 minutes. I find when using the balloon whisk it was barely 3 minutes. They will be ready for the butter when you can scrape down the middle of the pan and the line doesn't fill in.

Remove bowl from pan and start adding the butter one piece at a time, whisking each piece until melted. If you feel the mixture getting too cool, place the bowl back over the pan to warm, making sure the eggs don't scramble. Add salt and taste. Adjust if necessary.

With the bowl back over the pan after all the butter is incorporated, pour a little of the lemon juice in at a time. While still whisking taste after each addition (dirty job but someone has to it!). We use all the lemon juice as it seems to enhance the flavor of whatever vegetable we put it on and cut the heaviness of the butter. You can decide how lemony you like it.

The sauce should be very fluffy and light at this point. Add the cayenne pepper and pour into waiting warmed receptacle.

Cooks Notes: Since March is National Sauce Month, I thought long and hard about my favorite sauce. I have made hollandaise sauce for years, but when I had it at a Bed and Breakfast in Galena, IL I finally knew what it should be like. The flavor was over the top but it was still a bit heavy. So I have played with it and after using the balloon whisk it finally all came together. The consistency is almost like marshmallow fluff. Also, if you don't like the black flecks from the pepper, use white pepper or eliminate since you have the little kick from the cayenne. If you have leftovers and store it in the fridge, don't warm it in the microwave as it will break. Simple put in a bowl back over simmering water and warm gently. It is great over eggs and spinach on an English muffin in the morning.