Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Clarify the Butter: Melt the unsalted butter either directly in a pan over heat or using a bain-marie. Once completely melted, allow it to rest at room temperature and use only the clear fat from the top, leaving the milk solids behind.
- Prepare the Egg Mixture: Set up a bain-marie at approximately 45–50°C. Whisk the 4 egg yolks with the 4 tbsp. lukewarm water until the mixture becomes fluffy.
- Build the Emulsion: Once the egg mixture is light and fluffy, slowly drizzle in the clarified butter while continuing to whisk. Add the butter gradually so it emulsifies smoothly with the yolks.
- Thicken the Sauce: After all the clarified butter has been incorporated, whisk for another 30 seconds. Add the kosher salt and paprika, then continue whisking until the sauce begins to thicken.
- Keep the Sauce Warm: Hold the finished hollandaise in a warm place at approximately 35–40°C until ready to serve.
Alcoholic Version
- Prepare the Shallot: Slice the shallot onion very thinly and place it in a small pot with olive oil. Sauté it lightly.
- Deglaze with Wine: Add the ⅓ cup white wine to the shallot and deglaze the pot.
- Reduce the Wine: Continue cooking until the liquid has reduced to approximately one-third of its original volume.
- Strain the Reduction: Strain the reduced wine mixture, reserving the resulting liquid.
- Replace the Water: Use the strained wine-and-shallot reduction in place of the water when mixing the egg yolks for the hollandaise.
Poached Eggs
- Drain the Eggs: Crack each egg individually into a mesh sieve and allow the loose watery portion of the white to drain away. Carefully transfer each drained egg into a bowl and set aside.
- Heat the Water: Add water to the saucepan and bring it to the point where it begins to bubble. Reduce the heat to medium-low; the water should not reach a boil.
- Create a Whirlpool: Use a spoon to move the water in a circular motion, creating a gentle whirlpool.
- Add the First Egg: Carefully slide one egg into the moving water.
- Add the Next Egg: Once the white begins to form around the first egg, slowly add the second egg.
- Cook the Eggs: Poach the eggs over medium-low heat for 3–8 minutes. After 3 minutes, once the top layer is completely covered with egg white, gently lift an egg with a slotted spoon and check its firmness by lightly pressing it with your finger.
- Chill the Eggs: Transfer the poached eggs to an ice bath while preparing any remaining eggs.
- Reheat Before Serving: Place the poached eggs in a warm water bath for 45 seconds to 1 minute to reheat them.
- Serve with Hollandaise: Serve the warm poached eggs with the prepared hollandaise sauce.
Notes
- Do not add salt to the poaching water, as the source notes that it can cause the egg whites to separate.
- Keep each drained egg separately in a bowl before poaching so they are easier to add to the water.
- For clarified butter, the source recommends melting the butter and allowing the clear fat to separate from the solids before using it.
- A piping bag can be used to clarify the butter: pour the melted butter into the bag, hang it from a hook for about 1 hour, then carefully open the tip and use the clear fat.
- If the hollandaise splits or does not thicken properly, whisk a fresh egg yolk in a new bowl over a bain-marie, then gradually whisk the old sauce into it.
- For the best result, use unsalted butter with approximately 86% fat.
- Dried onion powder can be used to enhance the sauce's flavor.
- Keep the finished sauce warm at approximately 35–40°C rather than allowing it to become too hot.
Keep the finished sauce warm at approximately 35–40°C rather than allowing it to become too hot.