.
………
ann_oliver
COPYRIGHT © TEXT AND IMAGES ANN OLIVER 2025 UNLESS OTHERWISE STATED
the right chilli
go straight to the Hollandaise recipe
but…
before your start you need to make a WHITE WINE REDUCTION
Next to Sauce Bearnaise, Hollandaise is my favourite butter based sauce. It is also probably the most debased sauce of them all. I have often offered the recipe after eating at a restaurant or café, where the Hollandaise had clearly been made with vile lemon juice from a bottle and had the consistency of mayonnaise…WRONG!
Yes it takes some effort but like all things marvellous it is absolutely worth it!
AO 3 NOVEMBER 2025, edited 10 November 2025
the classic, loved by everyone, asparagus with sauce hollandaise…image © copyright jan bowman
for the
white wine reduction
This keeps indefinitely in the fridge and is handy for so much more than Hollandaise Sauce
500g white wine vinegar
500g white wine
500g filtered water
2 bay leaves
3g whole white peppercorns
3 sprigs of thyme [not lemon thyme]
3 sprigs of parsley, preferably curly
400g peeled weight, white onion, finely chopped
Weigh everything into a saucepan and simmer gently until it is reduced by half. Strain pressing hard against the onion. You should have very close to 750g…more reduce until you do. Less add water to 750g, bring to the boil and immediately turn off the heat.
Allow to cool store in an airtight container in the fridge.
hollandaise sauce
Sufficient for six indulgent diners …you may have a couple of tablespoons left over if you’re lucky!
The method for this is a little unique and the finished product should have the texture of a thin anglaise and the butter should be invisible. This is really only important if you are doubling or quadrupling the recipe and want to use the Hollandaise in stages. To all those cafés and restaurants that make Hollandaise with bottle lemon juice and think it has the texture of mayonnaise WRONG!
Stick mixer is handy for this quantity, otherwise Thermomix or Kenwood with balloon whisk.
YOU WILL NEED
7 extra large eggs…we are only using the yolks the white are reserved for another purpose
finely grated lemon zest of two large unwaxed lemons
80g freshly squeezed strained lemon juice
185g of white wine reduction
2g sea salt
1g freshly and finely ground white pepper
280g clarified unsalted butter, molten but not hot
Run your hot water tap until you have maximum heat. Place the whole eggs in a bowl and cover with hot water. Warm the reduction [microwave is good until it is about 35°C.
light And fluffy
Reserving the whites for another purpose separate the egg yolks into a jug large enough to hold all of the ingredients. Add the lemon rind and juice, mix and then add the reduction, salt and pepper. Working as though you were making mayonnaise, slowly add the clarified butter until it is fully incorporated. Refrigerate until ready to serve, best not kept more than 4-5 days before using.
to serve
Whisk the Hollandaise over simmering water until it is light and fluffy. Immediately remove it from the heat and turn the heat off. Cover the saucepan with a double layer of wet tea towel and place the Hollandaise on top where it will hold in good condition for about 5-10 minutes. Give it a good whisk before serving.
MORE USES FOR WHITE WINE REDUCTION
The simplest of all sauces, Lemon Beurre Blanc
If you have some white wine reduction in your fridge….equal white wine reduction and strained lemon juice, sea salt and white pepper, bring to the boil and knock in cubes of cold unsalted butter until you have a beautiful glossy sauce. Blanched asparagus, some crunchy breadcrumbs and Lemon Beurre Blanc and et ready for undeserved compliments!
ABOUT
We have 42 years history at the highest level
in the food and wine industry and the passion for our craft remains undiminished…
read more
ON cuisine-extreme
- People
- Kaaren Palmer Champagne
- Recipes
- News and Events
NEWSLETTER
Subscribe to our newsletter
to get the latest news, tips, and advice.
to get the latest news, tips, and advice.