Hands down my favorite!  I miss rich, creamy decadent sauces.  Hollandaise is quite easy to make as a dairy free sauce.  Don’t let all the drama over the difficulty of this sauce scare you either.  It isn’t difficult, it requires a bit of precision and attention.

First, a double boiler.  You can buy a double boiler or create one with 2 sauce pans.  You need one sauce pan for your water and a slightly smaller pan (or metal bowl) that will rest on the lip of the water pan. You want to put a small amount of water in the bottom pan.  Be sure that your top pan doesn’t actually dip far enough to touch the water in the bottom pan.  If it does, remove some of the water from the bottom pan.

Second, temperature.  You want the water to barely bubble.  You are not so much cooking the sauce with the steam as you are melting the butter and  incorporating the ingredients.  The lemon juice actually cooks the eggs.  That being said, the final sauce should be warm.

INGREDIENTS: 
1/2 cup of butter alternative
6 egg yolks
1/2 fresh Lemon Juice
Salt & pepper
Tarragon
{Yep.  That’s it}

DIRECTIONS:
Turn the heat to low under your double boiler.

Combine your egg yolks and lemon juice.  Whip with an immersion blender (hand blender, stand mixer or the dreaded hand whisk) until the mixture increases in volume (nearly double).

Once your double boiler is steaming and the water is barely bubbling Add 1/3 of the butter. After is it melted, add 1/3 of your egg mixture.  You must scrape down your interior surfaces constantly.  If it sits, the eggs may scramble so keep it moving.  Add the second 1/3 of your butter substitute, melt.  Add the second 1/3 of your eggs.  Continue until everything has been added.   Whisk or use your immersion blender to whip.  Continue to stir until thick, about 10 minutes. Don’t forget to scrape the sides.   If it gets too thick, add a bit of water.

Serve immediately, this is not a sauce that keeps well so prepare it last.

SERVE IT WITH:

Salmon
Steak Oscar
Broccoli
Asparagus
Eggs Benedict
Lobster
An Old Shoe {LOL}

Yields: 6 servings
Level: Requires Attention and Detail