Hollandaise Sauce in a Blender

I love eggs benedict. Let me say that again, I LOVE EGGS BENEDICT! It's so creamy and decadent, it feels like a real treat. It's usually a pain to make at home because of the hollandaise sauce. I've made it in a previous post and the sauce took me at least 10 minutes and wasn't very stable. Then I stumbled on Julia Child's recipe on how to make hollandaise sauce in a blender. It's quick, easy, and much more reliable then my last sauce. I'm both happy I get to eat eggs benedict more and sad that my pants will never fit the same way again. This recipe makes about 3/4 cup of sauce which is enough for 6-7 eggs.

Ingredients:
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 to 2 tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. cayenne
1 stick butter, cut into small pieces

Directions:
1. In a blender, combine the egg yolks, salt, pepper, cayenne, and 1 tbsp. lemon juice. Set aside.

2. In a small saucepan over medium high heat, add the butter and heat until foaming.

3. Blend the egg yolk mixture at top speed for 2 seconds then, with the blender running, remove the cover and pour in the hot butter in a thin stream of droplets. By the time 2/3 of the butter has been added, the sauce will be a thick cream.

4. Continue pouring, but don't pour in the milky residue at the bottom of the pan. Taste and adjust seasonings.

5. If not using the sauce immediately, set the blender carafe in tepid, but not warm, water.

Chicken Milanese with Arugula Salad

Ingredients:
1 lb thinly sliced chicken breast
salt and pepper
1 cup flour
3 eggs
1 cup bread crumbs
Canola oil
1 bag of arugula
1 container cherry tomatoes
olive oil
parmesan cheese
1 lemon
1/8 cup champagne vinegar
1/2 tsp. honey
1 tsp. dijon mustard

Directions:

1. Place tomatoes on a foil lined baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and a pinch of salt and pepper. Stir with your hands so all the tomatoes are covered in the seasoning. Place in a 375 oven for 20 minutes until tomatoes slightly burst.

2. Make vinaigrette - combine 1/8 cup lemon juice, 1/8 cup champagne vinegar, 1/2 tsp. honey, 1 tsp. dijon mustard, 1 tsp. salt, and 1 tsp. pepper in a small dish. Stir until combined. While stirring, drizzle in 1/4 cup of olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Set aside.

3. Set up breading station - one dish with the flour, one dish with the eggs whisked, one dish with bread crumbs. Season the chicken breast with salt and pepper. Coat chicken in flour, dust off excess. Then coat chicken in egg and wipe off excess. Finally coat chicken with bread crumbs and dust off excess. Set aside coated chicken on a plate.

4. Add oil to large saute pan so it is about 1/4 inch thick, Heat pan over medium high heat. Place breaded chicken in the pan and fry on one side until golden brown, about 4-5 minutes. Flip chicken and cook on other side another 4-5 minutes until golden brown. (Tip: if chicken is browning too quickly and meat is under cooked inside, place it on a foil lined pan in the oven at 350 for a few minutes until cooked through.)

5. Toss together tomatoes, arugula and vinaigrette in a small bowl. Place a chicken breast on the plate and top with the salad. Garnish with a few shreds of parmesan cheese and some lemon wedges and serve!