Hollandaise Magic

I am not much of a breakfast fan, but brunch... brunch is perfect.

When I go out for brunch, I usually opt for savory dishes.  Any menu item with hollandaise sauce gets priority at ordering time. Think about hollandaise for a minute.  It's buttery, creamy, and if I get my preference, quite lemony.  And while the traditional Eggs Benedict is a great choice, if that's the only way you have had hollandaise, you might not know how great it is with greens.

Yesterday, I was unable to decide whether I wanted to make brunch or go out.  I just could not make the decision, but I had known that I required hollandaise sauce either way.  As I was working and chatting with coworkers and trying to make up my mind about brunch, I eventually realized that I had planned an entire homemade brunch menu.  Love it when my subconscious helps me out like that.

I hadn't made hollandaise sauce in a while and I felt up to the challenge.  Turns out that it's no challenge at all - especially when you use a "cheater" blender recipe that isn't really cheating at all!  The only things that are missing from the process is a lot of whisking and a sore arm.  The result is brilliant - in flavor, texture, and ease.

If you wish to try out my very own version of Eggs Benedict, hmmm... let's call it the Cole Benedict... swap the English Muffins for home fries, the Canadian bacon for sautéed greens (kale always seems to be on sale), and poached eggs for fried eggs.  Serve with a side of (good ol' American) bacon and with plate of fresh fruit.  The strawberries we had yesterday were the best in months! Drain off and save the bacon fat (for something like maple-bacon caramels) and use what's left in the pan for the eggs.

And the hollandaise-greens combo is seriously a perfect pairing. If you just sauté some greens and top it with hollandaise sauce, you have a very good plan.  And maybe just a little bit of magic.


CHEATER'S HOLLANDAISE
(adapted from Eric Ripert's Blender Hollandaise)

• 10 T. butter
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 medium lemon
• pinch salt

Melt butter over medium low heat in a small saucepan.  Swirl to melt thoroughly.  You may skim off the milk solids if you are so inclined, but it's not necessary.

If your kitchen is cold and the egg yolk is straight from the fridge, you may want to pre-warm the blender pitcher with hot water.  Dump water and dry pitcher.  Blend together egg yolk and the juice of one half lemon.  With the blender running, remove the center of the lid and slowly pour in the melted butter in a thin stream.

Once combined, taste sauce.  It will probably be very thick and I will always want more lemon.  Add a pinch of salt and lemon juice to taste.  Blend again and taste to adjust salt.  Pour all over everything on your plate.

This recipe will serve four well, but will generously serve three.  As a rule, hollandaise does not keep well, but yesterday's third serving is miraculously still in the fridge intact.  Don't use any metal ever when working with lemon juice and eggs.