Hollandaise sauce is a magical emulsion that breaks the rule that oil and water don’t mix. This is made possible by the fact that both butter and egg yolks contain emulsifiers. Emulsifiers such as milk proteins(butter) and lecithin (egg yolks) are molecules where one end is attracted to oil, and the other end is drawn to water. They’re like a mutual friend that bridges the gap between two enemies allowing them to intermingle. Aside from it’s most common use as a sauce for Eggs Benedict, hollandaise is also excellent on vegetables such as asparagus, broccoli, or carrots. Oh, and potatoes! I love scooping refrigerated hollandaise straight into a baked potato or using it as a condiment for french fries. Adding some chopped herbs at the end makes for an herbed hollandaise that’s perfect for saucing poached seafood such as salmon, shrimp, or lobster. Because of the precarious nature of emulsions, I like to add a stabilizer like xantham gum to help the emulsion hold. The resulting hollandaise sauce is so stable that it can be stored in the fridge and then gently reheated (in a bowl placed over hot water) without having to worry about the sauce breaking (oil and water separating). Just be careful not to overheat it, or the egg will cook, and it will give the sauce a lumpy texture. If this happens, you may be able to rescue it by whisking in a bit of warm water until it’s smooth again. As for seasonings, I’ve kept this recipe very basic, but I like to add a bit of fresh Meyer lemon zest at the end. You can also stir in other herbs and spices like tarragon, marjoram, or sumac for a flavored Hollandaise.
📖 Recipe
