Hollandaise Sauce (Don’t Worry it’s Easy)

This is an easy recipe for Hollandaise sauce using a food processor or blender which makes it pretty simple, you just need to be a bit careful. You can also use a stick blender, or a wisk, but doing it by hand requires a strong arm.  We use it over broccoli, and if I had it around I’d use it for artichokes, eggs Benedict, asparagus or over a steamed filet of sole. It works on the same principal as mayonnaise–an emulsion. When you get comfortable with it, you can easily move on to Bearnaise sauce, it’s Hollandaise but with tarragon, shallots, and vinegar.

This should be good for 4-6 people (if they’re not too greedy):

• 3 egg yolks from extra large or jumbo eggs
• dash of Tabasco sauce
• juice of 1 lemon (more to taste)
• 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
• salt

Combine the egg yolks, Tabasco, lemon juice and a little salt in a food processor or blender, and process until the egg yolks are fluffy and lighter in color. With the processor running, SLOWLY pour the butter in. You want a fine stream. Take your time with this, the more slowly you do this, the thicker your sauce will be. If you do it too fast the eggs won’t absorb the butter, and in a really horrible case, will start to cook*. So patience is really a virtue here, trust me. When the butter is all incorporated, you’re done. If you want it thicker, let it run in the food processor a little longer. Taste and adjust lemon and salt to taste. Enjoy!

*If you do have a problem with the sauce separating, toss an ice cube or two into the processor. This works sometimes. Or just dump it and start again, slowly!