Lime-Herb Hollandaise

This take on Hollandaise replaces lemon juice with lime and whisks in fresh herbs. Serve over poached eggs, crab cakes, breakfast potatoes, salmon, or flank steak.

Prep Time: 5 mins

Cook Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 15 mins

Servings: 8

Yield: 1 cup

Ingredients

Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings

• 4 egg yolks
• 2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
• 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, parsley, and/or chives 
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• pinch of cayenne pepper

Directions

1. Put a small glass of warm water by the stovetop. Whisk together egg yolks and lime juice in a glass or metal bowl until well combined and smooth. Set bowl over a small saucepan of simmering water (bowl should not touch water). Whisk egg mixture constantly, occasionally moving bowl on and off the saucepan, until thickened, light yellow, and doubled in volume.Recipe TipThe sauce is ready when it reaches the ribbon stage. Dip a whisk in and out of the sauce; the sauce should fall from the whisk in a continuous thick stream and visibly rest on the surface of the sauce for a few moments before reincorporating.
2. Remove bowl from heat. If mixture starts to thicken too much, whisk in 1 tablespoon warm water from the glass. Remove saucepan from heat.
3. Set bowl over steaming water in a saucepan. Gradually drizzle melted butter into egg mixture, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking constantly until all butter is incorporated (if butter is added too quickly, mixture will separate). Whisk in herbs, salt, and cayenne. If sauce gets too thick or starts to separate, remove from heat and quickly whisk in warm water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until desired consistency. Serve immediately.

Editor’s Note

You can use glass or stainless steel for the heatproof bowl when emulsifying the eggs and lime (or lemon) juice. A glass bowl will insulate the eggs better and prevent overcooking. A metal bowl is the traditional method and is much quicker. Avoid aluminum or copper bowls—the acid in the citrus will react with those metals and create a metallic flavor.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)