I finally got around to making another Hollandaise sauce and as you can see, it’s broken!  But alas, we’ll bring it back to its perfect balance of unctuous, creaminess.  This sauce broke because I overheated it (intentionally–the things I do for the sake of cooking!).  NOTE–the eggs aren’t scrambled, but the butter has come out of suspension (you can see this best near the edge of the pan.  I think I mentioned this, but if the eggs scramble, pour off the butter and discard the scrambled eggs (or eat them!).  If that happens, you will need to use 3 or 4 egg yolks and and 2-3 tablespoons lemon juice.  But that didn’t happen here…

so we take another pan, break 1 egg yolk into it and add 1 tablespoon lemon juice (or water).

 

 

 

 

 

Now, place the pan over low heat and begin to warm it, and whisk the meanness out of it.  When it begins to thicken, and assuming the broken sauce is very hot, we will begin to dribble the broken sauce into the “new” sauce.

 

 

 

Start slowly at first, really just dripping the broken sauce in and WHISK, WHISK, WHISK.

 

 

 

 

 

 

As the sauce comes together, you can begin to add the broken sauce a little faster.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once you’ve added the entire contents of the broken sauce, you’ll have a reclaimed Hollandaise sauce!!  If the sauce broke before you managed to add all the butter (this one didn’t), you will now be able to finish adding the butter piece by piece.  Remember to watch the heat.  If, at any time, you see a wisp of steam coming off the mixture, immediately remove the pan from the heat, add a teaspoon or 2 of iced water and whisk it to cool it down quickly. I added some Aleppo pepper  flakes, Herbes de Provençe and a few flakes of tarragon.  By the way, there are a number of optional seasoning you may add to Hollandaise sauce that make other sauces, such as:

Maltaise (Blood Orange) Hollandaise Sauce—Replace the lemon juice in the basic Hollandaise sauce with the grated zest and juice of 2 blood oranges. I love this sauce with asparagus and salmon.

Mousseline Hollandaise Sauce—Omit the egg whites.  Fold in a scant 1/4 cup lightly whipped cream just before serving. An ideal accompaniment for hot asparagus or poached fish.

Mustard Hollandaise Sauce—Add 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard to the finished Hollandaise sauce. Wonderful served with grilled fish, vegetables and chicken.

Ginger Hollandaise Sauce—Peel and grate a 1-inch piece fresh ginger and add it at the beginning with the yolks and lemon juice and zest; proceed as in the main recipe. I love this Hollandaise sauce, as the ginger adds a lively kick. Terrific with fish or shellfish and broccoli.

Caviar Hollandaise Sauce—This and the following sauce are for when you really want to impress. Add 2 tablespoons caviar to the finished sauce, and serve with poached fish.

Black Truffle Hollandaise Sauce—Add 1 tablespoon chopped fresh or canned black truffles to the finished Hollandaise sauce. Fantastic with fish, vegetables such as asparagus or artichokes, and poached eggs.

Mixed Peppercorn Hollandaise Sauce—Add 1/2 teaspoon each lightly crushed green and pink peppercorns to the finished Hollandaise sauce. Wonderful with fish, steaks, and duck and lamb cutlets.  Very Christmas-y.

Basil Hollandaise Sauce—Add a handful basil leaves to the finished Hollandaise sauce. Lovely with fish, shellfish such as crab, and egg dishes.  Also nice with broiled tomato halves.

So many options….

I decided I really needed to put this “new” sauce on something, so I had some leftover green beans.

And that’s all there is to it.  You have a reclaimed sauce, no one need every know this happened, the planetary alignment will be reestablished and all is right with the universe.  Now, enjoy and bask in the knowledge that you fixed what was once broken.

You didn’t think I was going to throw those out, did you?  Really?