Hollandaise Sauce

If you want a real treat for a lazy Saturday morning brunch, make Eggs Benedicte.  All you need is toasted English muffins, topped with one or two poached eggs and a drizzle of this easy Hollandaise sauce to cover it!  We made this in the fall when all the CA Bryants were here and it was a hit from the youngest to the oldest.  As Grandma Bryant taught us all,  Hollandaise sauce is great over broccoli too.

3 egg yolks
1/4 t. salt
1 to 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
a pinch of dry or Dijon mustard
1/4 pound (1/2 cup, 8 T) butter, melted

Melt butter to bubbling but do not brown.  Put the egg yolks, salt, lemon juice and mustard into a blender.  Turn onto a low speed and gradually add hot butter through the top.  Blend a few seconds until thickened and smooth.

This recipe is a Bryant combination from NY Times/Osterizer cookbooks.
Hint for clean-up.....do not rinse blender with hot water (it "cooks" the egg yolk onto the sides, making it difficult to clean).  Soak in sudsy cool water before washing in hot water.

Chestnut Soup

This easy soup is unlike anything we've ever tasted with an incredibly smooth, velvety texture.  
Serves 4

Ingredients:
1 lb. Canned, peeled chestnuts
4 cups beef stock
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 T. Butter
2 T chopped Parsley

1. Place the chestnuts in a saucepan with 3 cups stock. Bring to simmer (uncovered) for 40 to 50 minutes adding extra stock as needed to keep the chestnuts covered.

2. When the chestnuts are tender puree with immersion blender. Add heavy cream, seasoning with salt and pepper as needed. Add butter just before serving and parsley as garnish.   

Originally from a "French Women for All Seasons".