Hollandaise Sauce.... You Ain't So Tough....

I admit it.  I was intimidated. 

I found this recipe on Pinterest for California Style Eggs Benedict with a Sirracha Hollandaise Sauce.  Sounded simple.  I had never made Eggs Benedict.  I started reading about poaching & hollandaise & was suddenly a little frightened.  I will admit, the poaching didn't turn out so perfectly.  However, this post is about the awesomeness of hollandaise sauce... not the eggs. 

Here's what frightened me:  words like emulsify and double-boiler and do-not-overcook and be careful.  Oh boy!  All for a sauce that I wasn't even sure if my kids would eat. 

I think that these chefs want us to be scared because seriously, it was not hard.  Here are the ingredients and here is what I did... and, oh yeah, my kids LOVED it. 

16T butter (yes, 2 sticks o' butter... when you start something with that much butter, well, you can't really go wrong)
9 egg yolks ( next time I will plan ahead & use the whites to make a meringue or something... i hate wasting)
2/3 cup hot water
1T lemon juic
2t sirracha sauce
salt & pepper

My first concern was that I do not have a double boiler.  What I did instead was used my steamer pan with my small saucepan on top of the strainer/steamer piece.  So I brought the water to a simmer, not a boil.  Then I melted the butter.  As the butter was melting, I whisked the egg yolks in another bowl.  When the butter was nearly melted, I slowly poured the eggs in the butter, whisking the entire time.  Once it was nice & smooth, I slowly added the hot water.  Again, still whisking the entire time.  Cook until thickened to the consistency that you like.  Shouldn't take more than a couple minutes.  Pull from stove, then, as you whisk, add the lemon juice, sirracha, salt & pepper.  Voila!!!!!  It was amazing!!!!!! 

It complemented the tomatoes, avocado, &  english muffin beautifully.  Next time, I will have fresh cilantro with it. 

the only tip I have is if you have leftovers, be careful how you heat it back up.  I let it get too hot and the eggs clumped up, like scrambled.  So lesson learned for leftovers. 

Here is a link to the recipe that started my interest in hollandaise sauce.... I will be forever grateful because my kids and I now are deeply in love with hollandaise....

http://www.thecurvycarrot.com/2012/03/26/california-eggs-benedict/