July 10, 2005
Mock Hollandaise Sauce
Last week, Victor made Eggs Benedict with real hollandaise sauce. He is really picky about that sauce...everytime I order Eggs Benedict out, he tastes the sauce and haughtily proclaims it inferior (or sometimes something unprintable).
Me, I'm a lot less picky. We ate at one diner where they didn't even bother with hollandaise...the sauce was definitely cheese. He was appalled. I said "Mmmmm, cheese."
Now, it probably goes without saying that there's no way I'm making hollandaise sauce Victor's way...it goes against every fiber of my being to produce that many dirty dishes and take that much time and effort for a freakin' condiment. (Hell, I don't want to put that much effort into an entire dinner.)
I do recall that years ago I occasionally made a sauce that I found in my Better Homes and Garden* cookbook: Mock hollandaise.
(Which makes me think of "Once," said the Mock Turtle at last, with a deep sigh, "I was a real Turtle.")
Anyway, I decided to try out the mock hollandaise on Victor...not expecting to fool him, more to see just how horrified he would be.
In a small saucepan, combine 1/4 cup dairy sour cream, 1/4 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard. Cook and stir over low heat until hot.
Tasting it with the memory of Victor's sauce still fresh, I had to admit...this one tastes like warm mayonnaise. I added a bit more mustard, then a dash of salt and white pepper. In the end it was a little paler and a little thicker than the real thing:
...but it wasn't half-bad. And it didn't mess up the kitchen.
Oh, and the chef's review? "Better than that [stuff] you've been getting in restaurants."
*Actually the 10th edition, which is the one I got when I got married. I do have the 12th, and also a 1965 printing of the "revised" original that belonged to my grandmother. Collecting the various editions of cookbook standards has become a very space-consuming hobby of mine.
Posted by Nic at July 10, 2005 08:44 AM | TrackBackWhat's wrong with cheese sauce? Hell, you can hold the muffin and the ham and just give me a plate-o-cheese and I would be happy. :) Actually, thanks for sharing the recipe! I love eggs benny but never knew how to make the sauce.
Posted by: dawn at July 10, 2005 10:22 PMI've had real hollandaise sauce once, and it was wonderful. This sounds pretty good and a whole lot easier, I had no idea it was that much work to make the real thing. How about adding a drop or two of yellow food coloring to darken it to match?
Posted by: Ted at July 12, 2005 08:48 AMI love Eggs Benedict. But a lot of the time I don't feel in the mood to go thru the hassle of Hollandaise. I have been making my own concoction and substituting bottled Five Brothers Alfredo sauce. I differenciate by calling it Eggs Fred.
Posted by: Burt at July 17, 2005 06:48 PMThere's a good compromise between these 2 - tastes like real hollandaise, but at least as easy as the mock recipe.
In the micro, melt 1/2 cup of butter. Take it out and
add some Tabasco (few drops to many, depending on
your taste) and the juice of 1/2 lemon (nice plump one). Briefly whisk 2 egg yolks with a good dab
of Dijon, then very slowly dribble in the melted butter
while whisking. Microwave on low for a few seconds at
a time. It's ready when it's thick. Don't try to give it
more time at once - it only takes about 20 seconds total,
but will separate and curdle if not whisked frequently.
I just reposted two comments that people were nice enough to leave, then I was somehow distracted enough to erase. I hope I didn't accidentally blacklist you kind folks...
Posted by: ni at July 17, 2005 06:50 PM