Hollandaise Sauce in a Blender

Hollandaise Sauce in a Blender

by | May 31, 2023 | Breakfast, Dinner, Ladies of the Manor Recipes, Recipes, Side

Hollandaise Sauce in a Blender!

Hollandaise was once the most temperamental of sauces…but that was before blenders made it quick, easy, AND delicious!

Printable Version

Makes

8-12 servings

Prep time:

5 minutes

Total Time:

10 minutes

Good For:

Dinner, Breakfast, Side

Inroduction

About this Recipe

I’ll be honest. I hadn’t had Hollandaise sauce until a couple years ago…when I was inspired by my own writing to try it out, LOL. In The Lost Heiress, Brook is facing down a moody chef at Whitby Park, and he chides her for interrupting him when he’s making Hollandaise, the most temperamental of sauces. Which I chose by looking up “most temperamental dishes” or something like that. Back in the day, one whisked this sauce by hand, and you literally couldn’t stop or it would separate.

Well, thank heavens for blenders! Seriously. You can now make this “most temperamental of sauces” in half a blink, just by tossing it into a blender instead of using a whisk. Woot!

The recipe I first tried called for a tablespoon of lemon juice, and I found that to be WAY to sour for my family’s taste. I dialed it back to a teaspoon, and my husband said, “Yeah, little more than that, please.” So my instructions say to start with 2 teaspoons, but add more to taste. (I liked it with only 1 teaspoon, LOL.)

It’s also very important to note that the temperamental soul of the sauce is still there. You MUST drizzle–don’t pour all at once!–that melted butter into the egg base WHILE the blender is running! If you don’t, you’ll end up with a mess. (Ask me how I know.)

Serve over eggs benedict, aspargus, chicken, pork, or anything else that needs a jolt of salty, rich deliciousness! This recipe makes A LOT, so you’ll have plenty to try on a variety of things. 😉

Ingredients

Instructions

  • 10 tablespoons salted butter
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 2 teaspoons – 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • Dash of cayenne
  1. Melt the butter in a spouted measuring cup.
    .
  2. Put egg yolks and lemon juice in a blender. If using unsalted butter, add ½ teaspoon salt to it. Blend on medium high speed until the egg yolks lighten, about 30 seconds.
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  3. Turn blender to lowest setting. While running, slowly dribble in the butter. After butter is added, taste for salt and lemon juice, adding more of either if needed.
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  4. Transfer to a container you can pour it from and keep it warm (not hot) until you’re ready to use.
Printable Version

From the Books

Hollandaise Sauce is specifically mentioned in The Lost Heiress, when the Brook interrupts the chef while he’s making it and he’s none too happy about it.

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Strawberry Scones

Strawberry Scones

by | Mar 11, 2023 | Bread, Breakfast, Dessert, Ladies of the Manor Recipes, Recipes, Secrest of Wayfarers Inn Recipes

Strawberry Scones

Nothing beats a fruity scone, especially when it’s drizzled with a fabulous strawberries-and-cream glaze!

Printable Version

Servings

12

Prep time:

15 minutes

Total Time:

30 minutes

Good For:

Dessert, Breakfast

Inroduction

About this Recipe

We love scones in our family. I make them every year for Mother’s Day, which means that I’ve tried a wide variety of recipes. One of my favorites, though, is this strawberry variation.

The secret to light, flaky scones is to NOT overwork the dough. It ought to be stirred until just combined and then patted into place with as few movements as possible. Do not knead, do not roll out!! Just pat into shape and cut. You can either make traditional round scones or cut the disc into triangles.

Ingredients

For the Scones

  • 2 ½ cups flour
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 8 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 2/3 cups + 1 tablespoon cream, separated
  • 1 egg
  • 8 medium sized strawberries, minced

 

Strawberry Glaze

  • 2 strawberries, minced
  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cream
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
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  2. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, with some lumps the size of peas.
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  3. In a separate bowl, combine the egg and 2/3 cups cream. Pour into the dry mixture and mix until just combined. Gently fold in the minced strawberries. Transfer to a floured surface and lightly form into a disc. Cut the disc into 12 wedges or circles. Brush tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon of cream. Bake for 12 minutes.
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  4. While the scones cool, make the glaze. In a small bowl, whisk together the strawberries, powdered sugar, and cream until you have a have a smooth glaze. Pour 1 tablespoon of glaze over the top of each scone. Let set up and serve either warm or at warm temperature.
Printable Version

From the Books

Strawberry Scones were featured in All the Inn’s a Stage, but I can also imagine Ella enjoying them while she’s at the tea house in A Lady Unrivaled.

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Authentic Fish and Chips

Authentic Fish and Chips

by | Mar 11, 2023 | Dinner, Ladies of the Manor Recipes, Recipes, Secrets of the Isles Recipes, Yesterday's Tides Recipes

Authentic Fish and Chips

Crispy fried fish fillets and homemade french fries (chips) deliver authentic, delicious taste!

Printable Version

Servings

4

Prep time:

30 minutes

Total Time:

1.5 hours

Good For:

Dinner

Inroduction

About this Recipe

When we visited England, we went to several different regions, and my husband’s experiment was to try fish and chips in each of them. His goal: to find the best fish and chips in the country.

I don’t know that he was satisfied with his results, but when we came home, I made it my mission to find an authentic recipe that even I, who don’t love fish, would like. And I found one! This adaptation of that recipe features beer-battered fish (don’t worry, the alcohol cooks off, but it lends the batter a lightness from the fizz and a yeasty flavor) and twice-fried chips (that’s how you get the soft-and-crisp texture we so love). If you want it REALLY authentic, serve it with a side of mushy peas!

Ingredients

For the Fish:

  • 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
  • 7 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon paprika
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • Sea salt, to taste
  • 1 pinch black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup dark beer, cold
  • 1/3 cup sparkling water, cold
  • 4 (7-ounce) fish fillets (choose a thick, white fish like cod, pollock, or haddock, the fresher the better)
  •  milk, for soaking fish if it isn’t very fresh (optional)

For the Chips:

  • 2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled
  • 1 quart/1 liter vegetable oil (or lard), for frying
  1. If you live in a landlocked region like I do and “fresh” fish has those quotation marks around it, soak the fillets in milk for an hour first to take some of the “fishiness” out of it. If you’re using actual FRESH fish (yay!), no need for soaking.
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  2. Set aside 2 tablespoons of flour. Mix the remaining flour with the cornstarch and baking powder in a very large bowl. Add the paprika, garlic powder, and salt and pepper to taste.
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  3. Whisk in the beer and the sparkling water to the flour mixture, whisking continually until you have a thick, smooth batter. Let it rest in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
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  4. Meanwhile, cut the potatoes into ½ inch by ½ inch sticks. Put them into a colander and rinse under cold running water.
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  5. Place the rinsed chips into a pot of cold water. Bring to a gentle boil and simmer for 3 to 4 minutes.
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  6. Drain carefully through a colander, then use paper towels to dry them more. Keep in the fridge covered with paper towels until needed.
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  7. Meanwhile, pat the fish dry with paper towels. Season lightly with a little sea salt.
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  8. Heat the oil to 350 F in a deep-fat fryer or large, deep pot. Cook the chips a few handfuls at a time for about 2 minutes. Do not brown them. Once the chips are slightly cooked, remove them from the oil and drain. Set aside.
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  9. Place the 2 tablespoons of reserved flour into a shallow dish. Toss each fish fillet in the flour and shake off any excess.
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  10. Dip into the batter, coating the entire fillet.
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  11. Carefully lower each fillet into the hot oil (make sure it’s still at 350 first). Fry for about 8 minutes, turning the fish a couple times, until the batter is crisp and golden.
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  12. Once cooked, remove the fillets from the hot oil and drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with salt.
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  13. Heat the oil to 400, add the chips back in, and cook until golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove from the oil and drain. Season with salt.
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  14. Serve immediately with the hot fish.
Printable Version

From the Books

Fish and chips is mentioned explicitly only in To Treasure an Heiress, but many of my characters who live in or visit coastal regions would have enjoyed them!

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