Looking for hollandaise sauce

[Dina]

I tried some baked salmon with lemon grass pesto, topped with hollandaise sauce at the market today and absolutely loved it! I was about to get the sauce when I saw the price was over $14.00 for a mixture of butter, lemon juice and egg yolks. I know I can make this sauce at home without having to pay that much. So I'm wondering if anyone out there has a simple recipe for it? Thanks in advance.

By the way, I'm planning to make the lemon grass pesto as well. It contains EVOO, ginger, lemon grass, cilantro, garlic, pine nuts, lemon juice, serranos, salt and spices. Now to figure out the measurements is another thing.

 

[Ishbel]

1 tbsp white wine vinegar or lemon juice
2 free-range egg yolks
115–140g salted butter, softened and cut into small cubes

Heat water in a double boiler, a bain-marie or a saucepan that you can fit a bowl over. You must keep the water well below the boil and make sure that it doesn't actually touch the base of whatever contains the sauce, or it might curdle.

In the bowl or pan that is to go over the water, beat the vinegar or lemon juice with the egg yolks. Set this mixture over the hot water and, stirring all the time with a wooden spoon, add the cubes of butter one at time, letting each one melt before you add the next.

Keep scraping the egg down from the sides of the pan or bowl. If the sauce shows any signs of thickening too fast or curdling, remove the bowl or pan immediately from over the hot water, stirring gently all the time. If the sauce refuses to thicken, turn up the heat a little.
(If you find the sauce too salty, add a small amount of unsalted butter. Hollandaise should be smooth and creamy in texture. If it is too thick, add a few drops of cold water or milk and stir gently to mix)

 

[Jenny]

can't help, I always use the packet stuff

 

[Dina]

Thank you Ishbel. I can't wait to make it.

 

[mish]

Dina, I was just looking at this recipe the other day. I usually use the packet too, but see what you think:

Hollandaise Sauce
Preparation 5 min. Cooking 3 min.

3 egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice 15 mL
Pinch of salt and cayenne pepper or dry mustard
1/2 cup butter, melted 125 mL

Stovetop Method: In top of double boiler, whisk together all sauce ingredients. Cook over simmering water, stirring constantly until thickened, 10 to 12 minutes.

Microwave Method: In a 4-cup (1 L) glass measure, whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice and spices. Gradually whisk melted butter into egg yolk mixture, beating constantly. Microwave on MEDUIM (50%) for 30 seconds to
1 minute, or until sauce thickens. Whisk halfway through and at end of cooking to produce a smooth sauce. Serve warm.

Makes 3/4 cup (175 mL) or topping for 8 poached eggs.

Variations
Bernaise Sauce: To Hollandaise Sauce, add 1 tbsp (15 mL) each minced parsley and tarragon vinegar, and 1/2 tsp (2 mL) dried tarragon leaves.

Tip
Curdling may occur due to overbeating or adding butter too quickly. To rescue a curdled sauce, try one of the following:

1. Beat another egg yolk in a small bowl. With a whisk or fork, gradually beat in the curdled Hollandaise Sauce.

2. Place 1 tbsp (15 mL) water in a small bowl. With a whisk or fork, beat in a small amount of separated sauce until it becomes smooth. Keep adding sauce slowly, while continuing to beat vigorously.

Hollandaise Sauce may be frozen. To use, thaw in refrigerator. Warm in a double boiler over hot (not boiling) water, stirring constantly. If sauce should separate, use procedure outlined above.

Serve Hollandaise Sauce over eggs, fish, seafood or vegetables such as asparagus and broccoli.

 

[Dina]

Mish,
I'm sure I've seen the packet in the grocery store before but I could not find any today. I needed to improvise so I got the butter, eggs and lemon juice since those were the ingredients on the $14.00+ sauce packet. I will have to try the tarragon version too. Thanks for your recipes. I really appreciate it.

 

[mish]

You're welcome, Dina. Let us know how it turns out. $14 - wow! Would love to see the list of ingredients. BTW, your pesto sounds awesome. If you work out the details will you post? TIA

 

[Alix]

OK, $14???? You have got to be joking? I bought a little packet of McCormick's brand Hollandaise for $1.89. Their bearnaise is good too.

 

[Constance]

The microwave method looks interesting, Mish.
Has anyone here tried it that way?

 

[corazon]

Technically, I think hollandaise is made with clarified butter.
Here is a great article I found by James Peterson (author of Sauces). It has great pictures and a basic recipe for hollandaise, bernaise and how to make clarified butter. Check it out!
http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/pages/c00180.asp

 

[Dina]

Yes, and it's no joke. The $14 sauce box was about 12 ounces, with a very fancy label just to kick up the price, I'm sure. I didn't see any fancy ingredients listed on the box either, only butter, lemon juice, egg yolks, white pepper and spices. The $14 must be to pay for the European chef they have there providing samples and pursuading people to buy the products. BTW, the lemon grass pesto (8 oz) jar was $9.99...heh heh...and I saw it online for $3.99. What a rip off. I'll make sure to post the pesto recipe for you Mish.

Thank you too Corazon! I will check out the website you provided as well.

 

[Dina]

Mish,

Here's the pesto recipe.

Lemon Grass Pesto

80 g extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 stalks fresh lemongrass, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 serrano peppers, finely chopped and seeded (add more or less depending on how much heat you like)
salt and pepper, to taste

You may put all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor to chop then add the olive oil while the processor is running. Rub the pesto on your favorite fish, I used salmon, bake in 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until done. Drizzle fish with hollandaise sauce, serve with a side of white rice or your favorite pasta and/or veggie side and enjoy!

Let me know how you like it.

 

[mish]

Yes, and it's no joke. The $14 sauce box was about 12 ounces, with a very fancy label just to kick up the price, I'm sure. I didn't see any fancy ingredients listed on the box either, only butter, lemon juice, egg yolks, white pepper and spices. The $14 must be to pay for the European chef they have there providing samples and pursuading people to buy the products. BTW, the lemon grass pesto (8 oz) jar was $9.99...heh heh...and I saw it online for $3.99. What a rip off. I'll make sure to post the pesto recipe for you Mish.

Thank you too Corazon! I will check out the website you provided as well.

Wouldn't be surprised, Dina. I think you're right on the money (pun intended) re the price. Googled it up, and it was pretty close for 32 oz? Hope the recipe works out for you.

 

[mish]

Mish,

Here's the pesto recipe.

Lemon Grass Pesto

80 g extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp grated fresh ginger
1 stalks fresh lemongrass, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp fresh garlic, finely chopped
1/4 cup pine nuts
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1-2 serrano peppers, finely chopped and seeded (add more or less depending on how much heat you like)
salt and pepper, to taste

You may put all ingredients, except the olive oil, in a food processor to chop then add the olive oil while the processor is running. Rub the pesto on your favorite fish, I used salmon, bake in 375 degree oven for 20-25 minutes or until done. Drizzle fish with hollandaise sauce, serve with a side of white rice or your favorite pasta and/or veggie side and enjoy!

Let me know how you like it.

Sounds very good, Dina. Interesting - no Parm? I posted a bunch of pesto-bilities recipes on the forum, but this one caught my attention re the ginger & lemongrass. Over salmon is a great suggestion. Copied, saved. Thank you.

 

[Dina]

Welcome! No parm on this one Mish. The fancy European chef at the grocery store said that lemon and lemongrass paired with salmon (or any fish) are a must. The sample he gave me was out of this world.

 

[mish]

The fancy European chef at the grocery store

There's an oxymoron if I ever heard one. And in Texas! Just giving you a hard time, Dina. Sounds pesto-licious. Thank you, again.

 

[ironchef]

Technically, I think hollandaise is made with clarified butter.
Here is a great article I found by James Peterson (author of Sauces). It has great pictures and a basic recipe for hollandaise, bernaise and how to make clarified butter. Check it out!
http://www.taunton.com/finecooking/pages/c00180.asp

That's the classical way of making it. I now use non-clarified butter though because one of my classmates in culinary school accidentally discovered that hollandaise tastes so much better with all the butterfat in it.

 

[Dina]

I checked out the site Ironchef! Thanks for the info.

 

[Dina]

Mish,
I tried your recipe tonight and it's great. My first attempt at this sauce and had no problems with it. Woohoo! Thanks again.

 

[DigitalCubano]

Question: Does anybody's Sabayon look that rich and creamy before adding ANY butter? I've used that exact technique (stainless steel bowl over direct heat) but the sauce never thickens up anywhere near like photo #3 until I start to whisk in the clarified butter. I usually just look for the bubbles to form on the periphery of the Sabayon and start adding the butter at that time. Am I doing something wrong? Thanks!