Anonymous August 25 2005

First, make hollandaise:

2 egg yolks

2 Tbsp red wine vinegar

1 stick butter, melted but not hot

1 tsp. lemon juice

Pinch Cayenne

Next. . .

2 Tbsp butter

1/2 medium onion, chopped

1 Tbsp flour

1/2 cup dry sherry

1 cup highly reduced veal stock

1 cup tomato puree, made from fresh ripe or canned whole tomatoes

1 tsp. dried tarragon

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Whisk the egg yolks and the vinegar briskly in a metal bowl and heat

the mixture over medium heat. As soon as you see even a hint of

thickening in the eggs, take the bowl off the heat, but keep

whisking. Keep going back and forth from the heat until the mixture

turns thick and lightens in color. Add 1 Tbsp warm water and whisk

it in. Remove the sauce from the heat now and begin adding the

melted butter, a little at a time. After about a fourth of the

butter is in there, you\\\'ll see a major change in the texture of the

sauce. At that point, you can step up the addition of the butter a

bit, and keep going till all the butter is incorporated. Whisk in the cayenne and the lemon juice and get ready to serve .Hollandaise

should be made right before it\\\'s needed; it doesn\\\'t hold well. If

you see butter begin to break out of the sauce, whisk in a few drops

of water. Makes about 3/4 cup. Keep warm, and stir every now and

then. Heat the butter over medium-high in a

small saucepan till it bubbles. Add the onion and cool until it

browns around the edges. Add the flour and stir until blended and

lightly browned. Add the sherry and bring to a boil.

Reduce the liquid by half, then add the tomatoes. Cook for about two

minutes, until the tomatoes begin to brown slightly. Then

add the veal stock, tarragon, garlic, salt and pepper. Lower the heat and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until

thick. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve, and allow

to cool to lukewarm. Stir the tomato sauce

into the hollandaise, and adjust seasonings. Add a little caramel

color or Kitchen Bouquet to darken color if wanted. Makes about a cup and a half of sauce.