Steamed Artichokes with Blender Hollandaise

This is a foolproof Hollandaise sauce recipe.  No need to fuss over a saucepan tempering egg yolks.  It’s so easy and so delicious you’ll want to serve it on everything from steamed artichokes and poached eggs, to fish and asparagus. This recipe is adapted from Julia Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Makes about 1 cup

Here is how I steam an artichoke:  Cut the top and bottom off so it’s flat on both ends.  Use scissors to snip the sharp ends off of all the petals.  Rub a cut lemon all over the top and bottom and cut edges.

Fill a large pot of water with about two inches of water.  Place the artichokes top down into the water.  Heat the water to boiling, cover and cook for about twelve minutes, or until a knife inserted into the top goes in very easily.  Remove from the water and drain for a minute before serving.

Hollandaise Sauce:

• 1 stick of butter
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 T. fresh lemon juice
• pinch of salt

Melt the butter in a saucepan.  Meanwhile, place the egg yolks, lemon juice, and salt in the blender.  Blend for a second or two to combine.  When the butter foams, pour it very slowly into the blender as it is running.  Don’t bother to add the little bit of milk solids at the bottom.  The sauce should thicken within about thirty seconds of blending.  Keep it warm until ready to serve.  Here’s a tip: make it up to two hours ahead and store it in a thermos!  It will stay piping hot with little effort on your part.

 

 

 

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