madbaker | Like a lonely asparagus, my best hollandaise are behind me

This week's Resolution Recipe, in preparation for Eggses Benedict in a couple weeks: Hollandaise sauce.

1 large egg yolk, slightly beaten
1 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/3 cup cold butter, cut into tablespoons
pinch salt

In a heavy saucepan, beat the egg and lemon juice with a whisk over low heat until light and creamy. Whisk in the butter a little at a time, being sure the pan never gets hot enough to melt the butter. Remove it from the heat occasionally, if necessary. Continue beating until all the butter has been added. The butter shouldn't melt and the sauce should be thick and creamy. Season with salt to taste and serve warm, not hot.

What worked: It was a success - the hollandaise didn't "break", or turn into scrambled egg sauce. It was tasty on the fresh asparagus (from the farmers' market, not our patch) and broiled sirloin tips.

What didn't: The original recipe was three times this amount; I suspect the egg yolks would be easier to beat to fluffiness if there were more of them. Also, I had to let the sauce rest for a couple minutes to remove the "refrigerator butter" flavor.

Will I make it again? It's a crucial part of Eggses Benedict, so yes.