Soups, Salads & Sauces
Hollandaise Sauce::
3 ea Large egg yolks
12 Tbs Unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 tsp Lemon juice
1 dash Tobasco sauce
1 dash Worcestershire sauce
Tarragon reduction::
2 Tbs White wine vinegar
2 Tbs White wine
1 tsp Fresh tarragon, chopped
1/2 ea Small shallot
Kosher salt and ground white pepper
From WSJ, 9/8/07.
Hollandaise Sauce:
In a medium stainless steel mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and 1 Tbs water.
Place the mixing bowl over a pot of barely simmering water, making sure that the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Whisk continuously until the mixture is pale yellow and foamy and just begins to thicken, about 1 minute. Take care not to overcook the eggs or they will curdle.
Remove the bowl from the pot of simmering water and slowly pour the melted butter (the butter should be warm; if it's too hot, the sauce will break) into the eggs while continuing to whisk the mixture until all the butter is incorporated.
Add the lemon juice, Tabasco and Worcestershire, and hold in a warm area (i.e., side of stove), while you make the tarragon reduction.
Tarragon Reduction:
In a small saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the vinegar, wine, tarragon and shallot. Bring to a simmer and cook until enough liquid evaporates so that it barely coats the bottom of the pan, about 3 minutes.
To finish the sauce, whisk the tarragon reduction into the hollandaise sauce. Return the sauce to the warm area until ready to use.
Serve with any steak.