As one of the "mother sauces" of French cuisine, hollandaise can sound intimidating, but its ready availability on eggs throughout weekend brunches also demonstrates how easy it can be once you get the hang of it.
In its pure form, hollandaise sauce is made of egg yolk and butter, with a bit of lemon juice, salt and pepper. The difficulty in preparing the sauce is the constant whisking required to ensure it doesn't separate, which takes some practice for cooks.
There is, however, a (sssssssh) easier way to prepare hollandaise, and that's with a blender. Though Escoffier would be scandalized to see it, many people (including Julia Child) espoused this method.
We've gathered together 15 variations on the typical hollandaise recipe that incorporate seasonal ingredients, or just flavours that work well with new dishes. Though the sauce typically accompanies poached eggs (and asparagus), we have some suggestions that veer anywhere from seafood to frittatas. Have a recipe of your own you adore? Share it with us below!
