Day twenty eight

A courtesy of

What is the biggest challenge with hollandaise?

Kitchen Fundamentals today. It was not an easy day due to the number of reasons. The first one we wer late for everything. Even though class sous-chefs did a great job creating a schedule who is doing what, we were still late. A little bit from the beginning and approximately 35-45 minutes at the end. Another reason probably is that production today was quite big. It may be was not SO BIG, but required a lot of organization and time management (we are not so good at this point).

We made today Mayonnaise, Hollandaise and Chicken consomme. Hollandaise and Mayonnaise I made first time in my life (consomme - second). I have never dared to think about Hollandaise, but about Mayonnaise I thought quite often. Each time when I read recipe and get to the point how to fix it in case sauce has broken, I was scary even to try.

So back to Hollandaise. This sauce is somehow similar to Mayonnaise, the main difference - it is hot and egg yolks are cooked (so you do not need pasteurized yolks) and butter used instead of vegetable oil. The biggest challenge to make it at home is
to keep it warm and to use it completely as soon as it made. You want be able to refrigerate it and reheat it later. Doesn't work this way. This is the point for discussion whether it should be considered as 'mother sauce' or not. However the sauce is delicious. The most famous application is eggs Benedict. Today we served it with broccoli and it was delicious.

In case you are brave enough to make Hollandaise at home.
Ingredients (to yield 14 fl oz):
1 tbsp shallot chopped
1/2 tsp cracked black peppercorns
1.5 fl oz cider vinegar or white vine vinegar
1.5 fl oz water
3 fl oz egg yolks (about 3 large)
9 fl oz melted clarified butter
1/2 tbsp lemon juice
salt, ground white pepper
hot sauce (Tabasco) or cayenne pepper to taste
Method:
1. combine shallots, cracked peppercorns, vinegar in a small non-reactive saucepan and reduce over medium heat until almost dry
2. add water to the mixture and strain
3. whisk egg yolk with reduction and place over simmering water (create water bath). Cook whisking constantly, until ribbon stage
4. remove from the heat, but keep bowl over the pot with hot water. Gradually add butter in a thin stream whisking constantly, until butter is added and sauce thicken. Do not rush, add butter slowly (otherwise sauce might brake). If at some point sauce is thick and you still have to add butter, add 1/2 to 1 tbsp hot water (not boiling, but hot) it will help to dilute sauce and add some room for the butter.
5. Season with salt, white pepper, lemon juice and hot sauce.
6. keep warm!

These are the reasons it might break:
1) butter added too quickly
2) too much butter added for the amount of continuous phase (liquid)
3) not enough stabilizer (egg yolk)
4) butter too cold/too hot
5) over mixing (not possible if you use wire whisk, applicable only if you use machine)

If it breaks, try to add small amount of hot water and whisk sauce until it is smooth before adding more butter. If this does not work, cook another egg yolk and 1 tsp water over simmering water until thickened and then gradually whisk broken hollandaise into new eg yolk.

Mayonnaise (seems much easier, still might break).
Ingredients (to yield 26 fl oz/780 ml)
3 fl oz pasteurized egg yolks (about 3 large)
2 tbsp to 2 fl oz lemon juice, vinegar or combination
2 tsp fry mustard (or 2 tsp ready made)
24 fl oz oil
2 tbsp water
salt, pepper and other seasoning
Method:
1. beat the egg yolks with a small amount of vinegar and / or lemon juice and mustard until  they are frothy
2. gradually incorporate the oil, beating constantly (in the thin stream, make a pause adding oil if mixture seems absorbing it slowly)
3. add a small amount of water if mayonnaise begins to stiffen
4. add any additional seasonings or flavouring ingredients such as lemon juice, Worcestershire sause, or hot sauce
5. serve mayonnaise when it's ready or refrigerate for a later use.

A broken Mayonnaise can be saved by combining 2 tbsp pasteurized egg yolks with 1 tsp water and beating mixture until foamy. Gradually add the broken mayonnaise into diluted yolk, whisking constantly, until the mayonnaise regains a smooth, creamy appearance.

With Mayonnaise I will probably switch to a home made from now. It is not SO difficult to make. You have variety of options how to flavor it, starting from oil and moving to seasoning, and there is no crap inside (you are not going to add any, aren't you?)

Yes, that was difficult day. Hope tomorrow will be better.