Fernand Point, a French chef born in the late 19th century and considered by many to be the father of modern-day French cuisine once said ‘it is the sauce that distinguishes a good chef – the Saucier is a soloist in the orchestra of a great kitchen’. To paraphrase less grandly: sauce can make or break your dish; and while you might not be aiming for saucier-soloist-status, it does help to know how to make a few fabulous sauces. So in this, the first in a two-part N1 blog on 5-star sauces, we’ll look at how preparing your own hollandaise or tartar sauce – the easy way – can help take your dish from bland to spectacular.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

Eggs Benedict is arguably one of the most delicious breakfasts known to meat-and-egg-loving mankind. But if the idea of making Hollandaise sauce leaves you quivering in your boots, fear not, there is an easy, non-whisk way. Elise Bauer of Simply Recipes fame makes a fabulous blender version.

• Melt 10 tablespoon of unsalted butter
• Place 3 egg yolks, a tablespoon of lemon juice and ½ teaspoon of salt in a blender
• Blend on medium for 20-30 seconds – until eggs are lighter in colour
• With blender on its lowest speed, slowly dribble in the hot melted butter
• Taste to season, adding extra salt or lemon juice if necessary
• Keep warm until needed

Assemble your English muffin, crispy bacon – N1 offer a wide range of high-quality back bacon, streaky bacon and prime cut bacon – poached egg; and top off with a generous dollop of Hollandaise sauce. Enjoy!

TARTAR SAUCE

Delicious with a variety of fish and other seafood dishes, tartar sauce is best prepared a few hours before you need it, giving the flavours more time to infuse before serving. The success of your tartar sauce depends largely on the mayonnaise (also an egg-based sauce) you use, so be sure to choose the best quality brand available. For a super-simple and delicious tartar sauce, try this recipe courtesy of the Barefoot Contessa from the Food Network.

You’ll need:

• 1/2 cup good mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons small-diced pickles or gherkins
• 1 tablespoon Champagne or white wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon capers
• 1 teaspoon coarse-grained mustard
• Pinch of salt
• Pinch of freshly ground black pepper

Blend all the ingredients together until well mixed and finely chopped, but not pureed – keep chilled until serving. When your fish is cooked, plate up with lashings of tartar sauce on the side, along with slices of fresh lemon.

Hollandaise and tartar sauces – delicious to eat and easy to make.

Next week it’s the turn of tomato-based sauces, so start stocking up on juicy red tomatoes. But in the meantime, if you’re in the mood for Eggs Benedict or seafood, be sure to call or email N1 now to find out more about their high-quality range of meats and fish.