Herbed Hollandaise Sauce

This Herbed Hollandaise is a classic,  keep warm by leaving in over the warm pot of water if preparing ahead of time.

Ingredients
1 shallot, finely chopped (or one small white onion sometimes on yachts its all you have)
fresh tarragon
fresh chervil or parsley
4 Tablespoons of white wine vinegar
6 white peppercorns (or black ones)
1 bay leaf
2 egg yolks
110g unsalted butter (I have used salted in the past) cubed
a pinch of salt if using unsalted
a pinch of cayenne pepper
lemon juice

Method
Fit a heatproof bowl into a saucepan which has water in it, the water should just be below the bowl but not touching the bowl.  Remove bowl and heat the water.

Place shallot, tarragon, chervil or parsley stalks (only the stalks), the wine vinegar, peppercorns and bay leaf into a small saucepan.  Simmer the liquid until reduced to 1 Tablespoon.  Remove from heat, let stand for 1 minute then strain into a small heatproof bowl.  Add the yolks and mix together.

Fit the heatproof bowl into the saucepan with the hot water, and have the water simmering underneath, stir the yolks with a whisk until it begins to thicken, then drop cubes of butter one at a time whisking, waiting until each cube is absorbed into the yolk mix. Never allow the yolk mixture to boil otherwise it will curdle.

When the butter is all combined into the yolk mixture it should be the consistency of soft mayonnaise.

Add the salt, cayenne pepper and fresh cut herbs, tarragon, chervil or parsley 2 tablespoons of each.

Hollandaise on the stove

Serve warm in a sauce boat or spoon over freshly steamed vegetables.  Great herby hollandaise with eggs Benedict.

Hollandaise over steamed vegetables