How-To (Hollandaise) Sauce

I wanted to post this in another thread about Hollandaise but I think it got locked on account of beastiality…

Hollandaise sauce is delicious; it’s one of the classical mother sauces and can be modified to accommodate a number of dishes. It’s also notoriously difficult to make the classical way, but I’ve recently had a lot of success using a microwave and immersion blender that I’d like to share.

For 1 serving:

1/2 stick of butter
1 egg
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 pinch cayenne pepper
1 pinch salt

Melt half a stick of butter in a microwave safe mug or bowl for 60-90 seconds. Watch out for excessive foaming.

In another large mug, add the unshelled egg and other ingredients.

Place the head of the immersion blender into the mug containing the egg and turn it on while slowly pouring the heated butter into it.

Keep blending until the sauce reaches your desired thickness.

Anyone else have an easy method for sauce making?

Sorry for the off-topic, but this has got to be one of the best opening lines in a post ever.

Was someone doing something ‘untoward’ with the chicken or the egg?

Dogs, dude. Dogs.

Yeah, I just saw that. Something wrong with that guy.

I thought one only used egg yolks when making Hollandaise? It has been awhile since I made any. And even then, it was Bearnaise sauce that I made, with shallots and tarragon in it. I could drink that stuff.

You’re 100% correct; please omit the egg white.

Recipe discussions belong in Cafe Society. Off we go.

This sounds good. I don’t have an immersion blender. Dammit.

Here’s my all purpose beef marinade.

Put meat (tri-tip, New York strip, whatever) in a ziplock bag
Soy sauce to cover at least the bottom half of the meat
Couple of good shakes of Worcestershire sauce
Basil
Some minced onion
Some garlic
Seal it up, squeezing out the air, while mashing everything around
Flip it over after a while, so the other side gets marinated too

Take it over to the grill in a while and cook it. There you go.

Hmmmm? How to cook hotdogs? I forget…

I use 2 egg yolks and put the lemon juice in at the end. I also clarify the butter; what isn’t used keeps in the fridge for ages.

Here’s a quick and addictive sauce for steaks:

Shallot Brandy Mustard Sauce

Melt 2 TB butter in a 9" saucepan. Add 2 thinly sliced shallots or half a sliced onion. Saute over medium heat till limp and translucent.

Add 2-3 TB brandy; flambe if you’re in the mood for a show. Otherwise, just cook briefly for alcohol to dissipate.

Add 2 cups beef broth or stock. Simmer until reduced by two-thirds-ish.

Stir in 1 TB Dijon mustard or to taste. Swirl in one last TB butter to thicken.

Pour over steaks and top with some chopped chives.

Two points.

  1. Clarified butter makes a thicker, silkier sauce, but less total volume.

  2. If you have time and are feeling perfectionist, reduce the lemon juice (as you would blood orange juice, say, for a maltaise) and let it cool a bit before adding it.

Slash at intervals, approx 1/8 in deep, cut a cross in one end, cut an x at the other.

Simmer cut hot dogs in something, either Guinness, or domestic lager, or chicken or beef broth (for kids, who tend to not care for bitter beer flavors)

Grill, oven roast or fry.

Why thanks. Just the primer I needed. Do you prefer all beef hotdogs? Or other?

For myself, the most important part is a natural-casing dog (and I personally do not prick, slash or do anything like that to the dog.) Beef vs other meats is a matter of personal preference. Beef hot dogs are king in Chicago, but I do love a European style weiner made with pork, beef, and/or veal. My very favorite hot dogs are Sahlen’s dogs from Buffalo, New York. They are a mix of pork and beef (although they also have an all-beef version.) It’s a different texture and flavor and one is not better than the other. They are just different. An all-veal wiener is really nice, too, with a very delicate texture and flavor. Those are what I grew up with, lightly poached, for breakfasts on Saturdays. (My parents are both from Poland; I don’t know if this was a tradition in the way that Weisswurst is in Bavaria, but it’s a similar type of idea, though the veal wiener is not spiced as heavily as a weisswurst and it’s gently smoked (like many hot dogs are.)

Just how much Hollandaise do you think we’re making?

Up to 50 servings depending on the breed.

Add cheese, always makes things better, IMO;)

I like cheese! (But my stomach doesn’t.)