Salmon with Hollandaise sauce

Hollandaise sauce has a fearsome reputation; I'm not going to lie to you, it's easy to get wrong.  It's basically a warm mayonnaise which is unstable if cold and unstable if too hot.  Yeah, this is really loving yourself to make this!

My top tip is to make the salmon and vegetables, put on a warm plate and then make the hollandaise.  To start with I tried to do both at once, I was ravenous having done a 5 mile run, I managed to have it ready before everything else was, in my panic, I put it back on the heat too long and it split.  Oh and I banged my head on the hood.  I'd hate you to think everything always goes perfectly in the ELYLY household!

But once you made it for the second time (after a few expletives), you realise it's easy to whip up (literally) in a few minutes so making it quickly when everything else is ready is the way to go.

For salmon, to have it cooked perfectly, never bother with the pack instructions.  I've read that you should cook it for 25 minutes on some retailers packaging!  How dry and unpleasant it would be after that?  It certainly won't be as deliciously soft and tasty as this salmon is.


Salmon with Hollandaise sauce - Serves 1 (enough hollandaise for two if not too greedy)

Ingredients

1 salmon fillet, mine weighed 110, 4oz
60g, 2oz Butter
1 egg yolk
1/2 tsp cider vinegar
Pinch salt
Splash water (approx 2 tsp)
squidge of lemon juice

Method

Wrap the salmon in foil.  Cook the salmon in a preheated oven for approx 12 minutes or until cooked through to your liking.  In the meantime, cook your vegetables of choice.

For the sauce

Melt the butter in a jug in the microwave.

Put the egg yolk, vinegar and water into a heatproof bowl.  Whisk together then whisk the egg mix over a saucepan of simmering water until foamy and getting thick.  Then take off the heat and gradually whisk in the melted butter.  Add a small squeeze of lemon juice and some salt to taste.

Serve with the salmon and vegetables and feel smug you made this just for you.