Yum Peaceful Cooking: I Heart Hollandaise?

Saturday, August 29, 2009

I Heart Hollandaise?

I didn't use to like Hollandaise sauce. Of course that was like....30 yrs ago and I hadn't tried it since. The adults in the family back then use to rave about it....and serve it on special occasions. As a kid, I was highly disappointed.

I love poached eggs though, and always have...and well, Hollandaise goes with poached eggs like gravy goes with biscuits, right? I mean....they're just meant for each other.

So it was inevitable that my taste buds would get a chance to redeem themselves.

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Why this trip down memory lane? And the desire to prove that my taste buds have grown up?

I think it's been all this talk about my ancient Better Homes and Garden Cookbook recently.

I love how it looks. The canvas feel it has....
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The old drawings....so retro!
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My favorite part of any cookbook...the Weights and Measures! (the ultimate cheat sheet!!)
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And the charm of old, brittle pages that are browning on the edges...

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I noticed that my new BHG has a slightly different recipe for Hollandaise sauce, which I thought was interesting. But for the sake of "memory lane" I'm going to make the old version.

Btw....I'm not going to go into how to poach an egg. I haven't mastered that yet. I have no clue how long to cook them to get the desired yolk. Any tips guys?

Soo...in the Sauce section of "Soups and Sauces" we have Hollandaise Sauce, Quick Hollandaise Sauce and Mock Hollandaise Sauce.

I stuck with Hollanaise Sauce:
1/2 cup butter
4 egg yolks, well beaten
1/2 cup boiling water
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon salt

Melt the butter in a double boiler. I don't have a double boiler so I use a glass bowl and it works just fine....

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Very gradually add the melted butter to the beaten egg yolks, stirring thoroughly. If you add the hot butter too quickly, you'll cook your eggs and get a lumpy sauce. Then gradually add 1/2 cup boiling water, while continuing to stir....

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Return to double boiler; cook and stir constantly until sauce thickens...

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Remove from hot water; slowly add the lemon juice and salt.....stirring constantly...

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Cover; place back over the hot water (with the burner OFF) to keep warm until ready to serve.

Make your poached eggs. (Totally related to Julie from Julie & Julia, here)

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It is me or do these kinda look like jellyfish. Photobucket

Assemble over a toasted Thomas' English Muffin and a slice of canadian bacon....plop that poached egg on top and let the sauce smother it all together under a blanket of goodness...

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And yes....I am totally in love with Hollandaise Sauce!!! I'm just pissed that its so fattening! LOL

However....my daughter informed me that my Hollandaise doesn't taste like the kind at restaurants. Apparently restaurant Hollandaise doesn't have lemon? I do have a packet of Knorr Hollandaise Sauce mix in the cupboard...... Ooooh....now I remember!! I bought the packet on a whim a couple of weeks back. But instead of using it, I figured..."hell, I can make it myself"....so that was the beginning of the beginning.

I will try the packet and see what my daughter has to say about it. Will it be better than mine? Will it be better than the restaurants? Inquiring minds want to know....


13 comments:

  1. I love Hollandaise - and those faded cookbooks too.

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  2. I know exactly how you feel about the old cookbook...something so comforting about them! And I, too heart hollandaise & eggs benedict...mmmmm! If a restaurant makes REAL hollaindaise, from scratch, then it definitely will have lemon juice in it! Real, honest to goodness hollandaise is miles above the rest! (icky package mix).... :D

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  3. YUM!!

    I have that cookbook too... but I think a slightly newer version... I think I got it for Christmas when I was a teen.

    I 'think' I've made the mock hollandaise too... and really liked it.

    (of course not as much as Hector's Hollandaise, which is probably from his Fanny Farmer.... *giggle* I said fanny...)

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  4. I heart Hollandaise too! As for poaching eggs, I use a slotted spoon and lift it out and just test the firmness with my index finger. It's kinda like learning to cook a steak, you just have to practice and get a "feel" for it. Not very helpful huh? nevermind LOL

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  5. I have never visited- came over from Chris's blog! I have 250-260 cookbooks, but I have a 35yr. old copy of that Betty Crocker cook book, and still use it more than most!

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  6. We have the same old cookbook - my Mom's - and a new copy - mine! Some of my favorite cookies from when I was a kid are in there. I haven't had hollandaise in so long - this looks delicious!!

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  7. I'll just take a highball of hollandaise, thanks. ;)

    That looks just like my moms BH&G cookbook, what year is it do you know? She had three, one each from the 50's, 60's and 70's.

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  8. I USED to "mock hollandaise sauce" but then I realized it wasn't nice to do that because it was hurtful :)

    Looks great!

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  9. That book looks great, I love old cookbooks!!!

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  10. i have that cookbook, and it’s literally falling to pieces. my grandmother actually gave it to me, and it’s the best cookbook i own, hands down. meanwhile, brace yourself—i’ve never tried hollandaise. believe it. it sure looks creamy delicious, though. :)

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  11. Linda - ya, those old cookbooks are great!

    Heather - thanks for the heads-up on the icky package mix! LOL

    Spryte - LMAO @ Fanny! you're too funny. I'm going to have to try Hectors Hollandaise.

    DD - ooooh...duh, that sounds so easy. I'll try the "finger poking" method next time. Thanks haha

    Buffalo - (is that what I should call you? hee hee) Thanks for stopping by! There are just some recipes that the newer books don't have.

    Reeni - oh ya...I made plenty of the cookies from my moms book when I was a kid. good times.

    Bob - My book is older than my husband (and hes 5 yrs older than me!) it's dated 1958.

    Chris - LMAO!! You are sooo funny!!

    Eric - Thanks :)

    Grace - What?! (gasp) say it's not true!! What are you waiting for? LOL Seriously girl, you gotta try some!

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  12. I wish I had that old cookbook! You've inspired me once again and I'm going to make Hollandaise sauce this weekend!

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  13. MMMMMMM Hollandaise!!! LUV IT!!! You are using a different method than I do, I will have to try it this way... Awesome!

    Old cookbooks rock!!! I have my Great Grandmother's "Woman's Home Companion" and I love it, especially when I am looking for old candy recipes.

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