Edible Expert
By Donald Kotler
Photo by Leah Harb
Recipe: Hollandaise Sauce
Growing up in Suffolk County, Long Island, I spent weekends with my grandparents. They had a big old house, and most importantly, a quarter of an acre that my Grandpa Clarence tended. He worked in his garden whenever he had a spare second: in the morning before heading off to work at our family-owned paint and hardware store, and in the evening when he returned home. Our family ate from that garden and our pantry every day, all year.
I can’t remember a time when I didn’t love to eat cooked green vegetables from our garden with a little butter, salt, and lemon. I’ve since discovered that one of my favorite ways to draw out the natural vibrancy of great ingredients is Hollandaise sauce, a creamy emulsion of butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice.
Hollandaise is one of the five “mother” sauces of classic French cooking. When done well, it enhances all the flavors on the plate. Balance and subtlety are key — no element should overwhelm the others. Hollandaise is perfectly suited to warm dishes that take butter, lemon, and salt with grace, such as cooked green vegetables, steak, flaky fish, and eggs.
Variations on Eggs Benedict have become some of my favorite spring breakfasts. In April and May, when sunlight begins to linger in the sky, chickens become their most naturally productive. Hollandaise brings forth the wholesomeness and great flavor of naturally raised eggs.
I first attempted to make Hollandaise while at college. As I whisked the melted butter into the egg yolks, something went wrong. It “broke,” separating into solid egg curds and oily liquid. I have since learned, with practice and patience, that Hollandaise is technique driven. With a basic understanding of why it works and practice under your belt, you’re set.
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