SundaySauces

Hollandaise Sauce

One stick (8 Tbs) unsalted butter melted and cooled to lukewarm
3 large egg yolks
1 TB hot water
3 to 4 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice or to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 to 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Put the yolks into the top of a double boiler set over but not in, barely simmering water. Add water and whisk until yolks are very pale yellow and slightly thickened. (A hand mixer works well) Slowly dribble the cooled butter into the yolks beating constantly. After about 4-5 minutes the sauce will begin to thicken. Add lemon juice and seasonings and blend. Sauce will thicken as it sets. To hold the sauce, keep in a bowl of warm, but not hot water. The sauce cannot be reheated without curdling.

A variation on this sauce that is especially good with roast chicken is the addition of 3/4 tsp. of dried tarragon to the yolk mixture. This isn’t a true Bearnaise sauce, which is made with a vinegar and shallot reduction instead of the lemon juice, but I like it even better.

Christmas breakfast, in our house, is always Eggs Benedict. Toast English muffins and top with a slice of Canadian bacon or warm black forest ham. Bring a skillet of salted water to a low simmer, add eggs and poach for exactly four minutes. Retrieve the eggs, when cooked, with a slotted spoon, dry the eggs with a tea towel and put them on top of the ham and top with the Hollandaise. Your blood will curdle if you eat this more than once or twice a year.

Creamy Horseradish Sauce

3/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup prepared grated horseradish (find it in the refrigerated deli section)
pinch of kosher salt

Whip cream until soft peaks form and add mayonnaise and whisk until smooth. Add half of the horseradish and taste. Throw caution to the wind and add the second half of the horseradish and maybe a little more. It’s supposed to be manly hot. Traditionally served with a beef standing rib roast.

Sunday Gravy

Drain the roasting pan for the roast beef or chicken of all but 4 tablespoons of drippings. Add 4 TBS of all-purpose flour and mix until you get a smooth paste. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly to cook the raw taste out of the flour. It isn’t necessary to cook the roux until brown. Slowly add a 14 1/2-ounce can of chicken or beef stock and stir until smooth. For chicken gravy, add 2 teaspoons of kitchen bouquet or gravy master and a teaspoon of Bell’s poultry seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. For beef gravy, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of kitchen bouquet or gravy master and a pinch of thyme and salt and pepper.


	Sunday Sauces
This month I’m sharing my favorite recipes for simple sauces that can transform a simple meal into something memorable. A plain beef roast or roast chicken and a platter of fresh cooked vegetables becomes a Sunday dinner when you also serve a sauceboat of lemony fresh Hollandaise sauce. The only trick to making Hollandaise is making sure that the melted butter has cooled to lukewarm and adding it slowly to the beaten egg mixture. I’ve made this sauce so many times that I don’t bother to use a double boiler, but until you’ve made this several times, the use of a double boiler is good insurance that the sauce doesn’t curdle. Sue Kleber		Hollandaise Sauce One stick (8 Tbs) unsalted butter melted and cooled to lukewarm 3 large egg yolks 1 TB hot water 3 to 4 TB freshly squeezed lemon juice or to taste 1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper 1/4 to 1/2 tsp kosher salt Put the yolks into the top of a double boiler set over but not in, barely simmering water. Add water and whisk until yolks are very pale yellow and slightly thickened. (A hand mixer works well) Slowly dribble the cooled butter into the yolks beating constantly. After about 4-5 minutes the sauce will begin to thicken. Add lemon juice and seasonings and blend. Sauce will thicken as it sets. To hold the sauce, keep in a bowl of warm, but not hot water. The sauce cannot be reheated without curdling. A variation on this sauce that is especially good with roast chicken is the addition of 3/4 tsp. of dried tarragon to the yolk mixture. This isn’t a true Bearnaise sauce, which is made with a vinegar and shallot reduction instead of the lemon juice, but I like it even better. Christmas breakfast, in our house, is always Eggs Benedict. Toast English muffins and top with a slice of Canadian bacon or warm black forest ham. Bring a skillet of salted water to a low simmer, add eggs and poach for exactly four minutes. Retrieve the eggs, when cooked, with a slotted spoon, dry the eggs with a tea towel and put them on top of the ham and top with the Hollandaise. Your blood will curdle if you eat this more than once or twice a year. Creamy Horseradish Sauce 3/4 cup heavy cream 1/2 cup mayonnaise 1/2 cup prepared grated horseradish (find it in the refrigerated deli section) pinch of kosher salt Whip cream until soft peaks form and add mayonnaise and whisk until smooth. Add half of the horseradish and taste. Throw caution to the wind and add the second half of the horseradish and maybe a little more. It’s supposed to be manly hot. Traditionally served with a beef standing rib roast. Sunday Gravy Drain the roasting pan for the roast beef or chicken of all but 4 tablespoons of drippings. Add 4 TBS of all-purpose flour and mix until you get a smooth paste. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly to cook the raw taste out of the flour. It isn’t necessary to cook the roux until brown. Slowly add a 14 1/2-ounce can of chicken or beef stock and stir until smooth. For chicken gravy, add 2 teaspoons of kitchen bouquet or gravy master and a teaspoon of Bell’s poultry seasoning and salt and pepper to taste. For beef gravy, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of kitchen bouquet or gravy master and a pinch of thyme and salt and pepper.
Courtesy of:
Real Estate & Living
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