Hollandaise process

Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice in a double boiler pan. Cut the butter into pats and place one fourth of it into the whisked egg yolks. Heat over boiling water in a double boiler, stirring constantly while the butter begins to melt. Reduce heat to medium and add butter as the pats melt. The butter helps prevent the eggs from cooking too fast. Keep cooking and stirring until the sauce thickens. When the sauce is thick and its temperature has reached 160 degrees (the temperature necessary to kill Salmonella), remove from heat and add the cayenne pepper. Stir with the whisk and allow it to cool slightly before serving. Ideally, it should be just warm when served.

This recipe is probably sufficient for two servings. Hollandaise can be refrigerated and stored for up to two days. Refrigerated Hollandaise will be thick and creamy; whisk in hot water to warm and thin it.

Benedict assembly

Split an English muffin with a fork and toast and butter the halves. Saute the hand-cut ham briefly to warm and glaze it. On a plate, layer the muffin halves, the ham, and the eggs. Top with Hollandaise sauce. Garnish with paprika and serve hot.