About this recipe
Lemon Myrtle is probably the most well know of the Australian indigenous ingredients; however most people (including the majority of chefs) don’t know how to use it properly. Lemon Myrtle is high in essential oils and as such when it’s heated at high temperatures the oils are effectively boiled out. The best comparison I can think of is basil. Basil is a herb that is also used at the end of the cooking process and so should lemon myrtle.
Anyway back to the recipe, Lemon Myrtle Hollandaise is great with poached fish like salmon or trout or on your eggs benedict for breakfast of just with fresh asparagus. I first served Lemon Myrtle hollandaise at an International Cricket Media Guild event at the Parkroyal Perth after a test match. We simply served slices of smoked salmon in chinese ceramic spoons, then naped the salmon with a little hollandaise and then browned the hollandaise under the grill. Plenty of compliments all night long.
Ingredients
1 bunch fresh asparagus
500g (2 cups) butter
30 ml (2 tablespoons) white wine vinegar
5 egg yolks
5g (1 teaspoon) lemon myrtle
5g (1 teaspoon) dijon mustard
salt
Cooking instruction
Take two saucepans. In one, melt the butter. Half fill the other saucepan with water and heat to a simmer. When the butter has melted, remove and reserve the melted butter leaving the cream behind in the saucepan. In a stainless steel bowl which fits over the saucepan of simmering water, add the egg yolks and mustard and using a fine whisk combine well then continue beating with the bowl over the simmering water until the mixture lightens in colour and begins to thicken. This can take a good 5 minutes.
At this point, remove the bowl from over the simmering saucepan and place it onto a coiled towel to hold the bowl while you slowly pour the melted butter into the mixture, starting with just a trickle and continue to whisk continuously. As the mixture begins to really thicken up, use a little of the vinegar to thin the sauce down and continue to add the butter until it is all taken in. To finish, whisk in the Lemon Myrtle, then taste the hollandaise and add salt, if required.
Transfer the hollandaise sauce to a sauce boat, cover with plastic wrap and store in a warm place until required.
