By JEAN DOHERTY/LE PATIO

This sauce using egg yolks and butter appeared in the 19th century. Various sources say it was first known as “sauce Isigny” (a town in Normandy, France which is renowned for the quality of its butter). Hollandaise requires some skill and knowledge to prepare and hold. Properly made, it will be smooth and creamy with no hint of separated oil. The flavor will be rich and buttery, with a mild tang. It must be prepared and served warm, but not hot. There are a number of different methods for preparing a Hollandaise sauce. All methods require near-constant agitation, usually with a wire whisk.

My method is known as a “bain marie method.” Another family of methods uses a blender. Yolks are placed in a blender, then butter – at a temperature higher than appropriate for bain marie methods – is drizzled into the blender. Heat from the butter cooks the yolks. Blender methods are much quicker, though temperature control is difficult. The results of blender methods may be OK, but they are generally considered to be inferior to the results of a bain marie method. This sauce is used for asparagus, poached fish, artichoke hearts … and, of course, eggs benedict.

INGREDIENTS –

• 3 fl oz of vinegar
• 3 egg yolks
• 5 oz butter
• half a lemon juice
• salt

Melt the butter slowly and then skim the whey on top and keep the butter warm.

In a small saucepan, reduce the vinegar until about 2 tablespoonfuls are left and cool it down by putting the bottom of the sauce pan into cold water. Add the yolks and 2 tablespoonfuls of cold water and whisk.

Put your saucepan in a bain-marie which is close to boiling point, and whip continuously making “8” shapes. When the sauce has become thick enough, take the sauce pan out of the bain-marie and gently and progressively pour in the melted butter and work as if you were making a mayonnaise. Add a pinch of salt, and then the lemon juice. You are a chef !