I make great hollandaise sauce: melt a stick of butter at low heat. Add the freshly squeezed juice of a lemon and a half, white pepper, and several good shakes of tabasco sauce.
The secret to a zingy flavor is lots of lemon juice and more than a few good shakes of the Tabasco. Don’t go cheap on the lemon, and don’t be afraid of adding the Tabasco. It won’t make it spicy hot, but adds zing to it.
Mix three egg yolks together in a bowl, increase heat a bit, and slowly pour the liquid yolks into the butter mixture, whisking all the time. When the consistency is sufficiently thick (but not TOO thick!) remove it and you are done!!!!
If it curdles up a bit, just turn on the cold water from a faucet on a very thin, weak stream, put the pan into the stream to catch some, and whisk until it turns creamy again.
I love my Hollandaise sauce...:)
As a poor little orphan boy working in fine kitchens, I was originally taught the Escoffier method.
>Combine yolks, water and vinegar in a metal bowl. Do not use plastic or glass.
>Cook the egg, water and vinegar mixture over a double boiler until the yolks are lighter in color and a ribbon consistency has been formed. Remove from heat.
>Heat the clarified butter to 125F.
>Slowly add the butter to the yolks, whisking constantly.
>Add a few drops of lemon juice if the sauce becomes too thick.
>Season to taste with salt, cayenne and lemon juice.
Over the decades, I’ve gotten faster. I use the vinegar water that I will use to poach the eggs. I cook directly over a low fire instead of a double boiler. I cook the eggs to a mayonnaise consistency.
I get the butter, lemon very warm and throw that and the yolks in a food processer. Usually use pasteurized eggs. YUM!!!
Mrs. L makes it just that way. It’s amazing.
L