All Roads Lead to the Kitchen: Hollandaise

If you know me, you might be surprised to know that if I had to make the choice of "my last meal", it wouldn't be Mexican food or something gloriously garlicky. It wouldn't be a bowl of Tortilla Soup or a loaf of freshly baked bread with a wedge of cheese. Although those would all fall into my "second choices" category. I would actually choose a Filet Mignon (cooked anywhere from rare to medium) smothered in Béarnaise Sauce. Preferably with a side of hand-cut fries also smothered in Béarnaise. Okay, the pictures have asparagus in them...and not fries. What can I say? I was feeling virtuous. But truly, that would be my last meal request. With a bottle of wine to wash it down.

Perhaps it's due to the fact that I don't eat that meal very often. Okay, hardly ever. The other things that I'm known for loving are things that I eat on a regular basis. So the "special" factor probably plays in. Yes, that has to be it.

But..."WHY? What's the reasoning behind your choice?" ...you ask?

Mainly because it's so freakin' delicious.

The reason I would choose that meal isn't because of one particularly fond memory. Though, I do remember it fondly. It's just because it's so darn good. The first time I made Béarnaise (and Hollandaise and it's other derivatives) was during my apprenticeship. I was stationed on grill for a period of nine months (give or take). And I had to make a couple batches a night to go with one of the steaks. The first batch was always fun. I looked forward to watching those yolks "take in" all of that softened butter. It's amazing how much butter yolks can hold. I'm sure I broke it a few times in the beginning, but once I got the hang of it, it was old hat. The time it got hard was when that particular steak sold really well during service and I had to make another batch while still putting up orders. But can I just tell you what a great work-out a whisk can be!

At the end of the nights when I was working with a buddy on sauté who was just as much a lover of the sauce as I, I'd put a little portion of Béarnaise in a 1/16th pan and set it between us while we started to break down. Or earlier if it was particularly slow. There was almost always little end bits of Prime Rib hanging around. We made sure of it. So into the Béarnaise they'd go. And fries? Oh yeah, those were always around, no doubt. So those would get swiped through the sauce, as well. Little did I realize just how fortunate I was back then. Béarnaise wouldn't always be around for dipping at my leisure (okay, it would if I made it...but...). And mostly, I wouldn't always be as active (and young) as I was then. I mean, if I shoveled it in now like I did then, I'd be bedridden.

But basically, when I switched stations from grill to whatever came next, Béarnaise became a thing of the past. Sure, I'd make it now and again, but never as frequently as I did during those 9 months. But when I want a real treat, I will make a Filet and whip up a batch. And each and every bite is like heaven.

In this, my next to last #CookforJulia post, I decided it was high-time to indulge. I still make Hollandaise a little more often than I do Béarnaise (for Eggs Benedict), and when I discovered Julia's method for making it the blender, I was hooked. Sure, now's the time I could probably use that whisk-work-out most, but the ease of making it in the blender completely and totally eliminates the need to break a sweat. I decided to make the Béarnaise this way as well...and I'm scared to admit that sheer willpower will now be the only thing keeping me from making it more often. I want it to stay "special", ya know? Julia doesn't call for straining the reduction, but I like to do so to remove the shallots and peppercorns. Plus, I like to finish mine with a smattering of fresh tarragon and chervil folded into the sauce (yes, that's the way I learned). But Julia's blender-method will most likely be my method of choice 'til the end of time.

Watch for my final #CookforJulia post on Wednesday the 15th...this will mark what would have been Julia's 100th birthday. I'm so happy that I took the time to cook from all of my Julia books over these last nine or ten days. She truly was a remarkable woman...a remarkable force.

Sauce Béarnaise

by Heather Schmitt-González

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Keywords: condiment entree side butter herbs eggs French

Ingredients (~1 cup)

for the reduction:

¼ c. Tarragon vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
¼ c. dry white wine (or vermouth)
1 heaping Tbs. minced shallots
½ tsp. dried tarragon
pinch salt
6 black peppercorns, crushed with side of your knife

to finish the sauce:

3 egg yolks
4-6 oz. (1-1½ sticks) unsalted butter
salt
palmful chopped fresh tarragon and chervil

Instructions

make the reduction:

Combine all of the ingredients for the reduction in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Boil until liquid is reduced to about 2 tablespoons. Watch it carefully once it starts to boil - the liquid can evaporate quickly.

Strain into the jar of a blender.

make the Béarnaise:

Put the butter in a small pan and heat until melted and bubbling.

Add the egg yolks to the blender with the reduction, then cover and blend at high speed for 30 seconds.

Remove the lid of the blender (or the center piece in the lid) and start pouring in the hot butter in "droptlets" while the blender is still on high speed. Continue pouring slowly, giving the yolks time to absorb the butter. Once the sauce starts to thicken, you can start to pour a little quicker. You should now have a thick, rich sauce.

Throw in the freshly chopped tarragon and chervil. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, if necessary.

Enjoy over steak, french fries, veggies, broiled fish or chicken, or egg dishes. Try not to drink it from a spoon (much easier said than done).

notes:

If your reduction gets away from you and goes dry, simply add some more of the vinegar and wine (in equal parts) and let it reduce again (assuming it hasn't burnt - if so, start over).

This is my absolute favorite sauce in the world - especially when served over Filet Mignon. Or used to dip french fries in. Although I'd been making it for years by hand, once I discovered Julia Child's method for making it (and Hollandaise) in the blender, I never looked back. It's super simple and works every time.

inspired by and adapted from The French Chef Cookbook

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In May '11, Gourmet posted a list of 50 Women Game-Changers (in Food) that runs the gamut from food writers to cookbook authors to television personalities to restauranteurs to chefs to food bloggers. Some are a given. Some are controversial. Speaking the names of some brings fond childhood memories to some. Speaking the names of others will make some readers cringe. And of course, some of our favorites were not even included. We food-lovers are a passionate bunch of people and whether we agree or disagree, every woman on this list has earned her place for a reason. Being a woman who is passionate about food (cooking, eating, talking about, writing about, photographing), when I caught wind of Mary from One Perfect Bite's idea of cooking/blogging her way through each of these 50 women...one per week...I knew I wanted to join her. Many of these women paved the way for us in culinary school, in the kitchen, in cookbooks, in food writing, and on television and I think it is a fabulous way to pay tribute to their efforts. Some of the women on the list have been tops with me for years. Some I have heard of (perhaps even seen, read, or cooked from) before. And there are even a handful that I am not familiar with at all. I excited to educate myself on each of these women game-changers and hope you look forward to reading along. We are going in order from 1 to 50.

the "Gourmet" prompt...

1. Julia Child- The great Julia needs no introduction. Especially not after the great Meryl played her in the movie.

I grew up watching Julia on t.v. She was so magnetic. I don't know if I was more intrigued by her unique presence or the food she cooked. I think it was a combination of both. Whether watching old episodes of The French Chef or new episodes of Dinner at Julia's, my eyes were always glued to the t.v. for that 30 minutes or so. I loved her nasal-tinged, sing-songy voice. I loved it when she gave people a hard time in her jolly manner. I loved it when she took a bite of something. I loved it when she said Bon Appétit! Back then I didn't know (or care) that she was once a member of the Office of Strategic Services (OSS). I didn't know anything about her one great love, Paul Child. I had yet to learn about that first meal in Rouen that was "the" major landmark in Julia's love affair with food...were it not for that meal would we still know and love Julia? My fascination and adoration for Julia never dissipated. I adored watching Julia with Jacques Pepín and Baking with Julia. She was one of my cooking inspirations and one of the people I wish I could have met before she went to that great kitchen in the sky.

worth further exploration: (watch) Julia making an Omelette (or any episodes of The French Chef), Julie and Julia, (read) As Always Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis DeVoto, A Covert Affair: Julia Child and Paul Child in the OSS, Julia's Kitchen Wisdom, Backstage with Julia: My Years with Julia Child, (virtual...or actual...tour) Julia's Kitchen at The Smithsonian

Hollandaise
(blender-version)
from Mastering the Art of French Cooking vol.1 by Julia Child (w/ Louisette Bertholle & Simone Beck)
makes ~ ¾-1½ c.

3 egg yolks
tsp. salt
pinch of pepper
1-2 Tbs. freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 oz. butter (possible to add another 4 oz.*)

Place egg yolks, salt, pepper, and 1 Tbs. lemon juice in jar of blender.

Cut butter into pieces and heat it to foaming hot in a small saucepan.

Cover the jar and blend the egg yolk mixture at top speed for 2 seconds. Uncover (preferably remove the center piece of your lid) and still blending at top speed, pour in the hot butter in a thin stream of droplets. Be careful of hot, spitting liquid (which is why I recommend just removing the center piece). The sauce should be thick. Taste and adjust seasoning with more lemon juice &/or salt and pepper.

If you're not using sauce immediately, set the jar in tepid (not warm) water.

*3 egg yolks can actually hold about 8 or 9 ounces of butter...but your blender may not be able to push through the "thickness" of it. If you have a pretty powerful blender, then you can melt another 4 oz. of butter and add it in in the same manner. You could turn the initial amount of sauce out of the blender into a large-ish bowl, then beat in the remaining butter by hand in the same, thin stream of droplets.

And of course you have to use that Hollandaise to make Eggs Benedict. I mean, come on...how could you not!? To make it "right", you should use (heated, usually steamed and not usually browned) Canadian Bacon, but if don't have any, then I just brown some ham (I like the extra layer of flavor that browning it adds)...I'm perfectly fine with it. If you're not, then by all means use Canadian Bacon.

Eggs Benedict

serves 1

1 English Muffin, fork split

2 eggs

2 slices Canadian Bacon (or equivalent ham)

Hollandaise sauce

salt & freshly ground pepper

Toast your muffin halves. Poach your eggs. Heat your Canadian Bacon (or ham). Lay the English muffin halves down. Set the ham on top. Place the poached eggs on top of the ham. Pour as much warm Hollandaise on as you'd like. Season with salt and pepper. Take a bite. Swoon and commence eyes rolling into back of head. Repeat until plate has been licked clean.

"The best way to execute French cooking is to get good and loaded and whack the hell out of a chicken." ~ Julia Child

Julia Child: August 15, 1912-August 13, 2004

*Normally, this will be a weekly post (on Friday's), but since I missed the first two weeks of cooking along with the crew, I am playing catch-up. I will be bringing you #2 on the list tomorrow...and picking up on Friday with #3. From there on out, this will be a weekly feature until all 50 ladies have had their turn.

Who is cooking along with these 50 Women Game-Changers?

Mary- One Perfect Bite

Val - More Than Burnt Toast

Joanne - Eats Well With Others

Taryn - Have Kitchen Will Feed
Susan - The Spice Garden
Claudia - A Seasonal Cook in Turkey
Heather- girlichef

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