Contemporary Variations

The techniques used to prepare classic hot egg yolk sauces can be modified to make lighter contemporary variations. There are no rules about serving contemporary hot emulsified egg yolk sauces, but often they are served on the plate rather than on the side, because they are lighter than their classic cousins. The first step in preparing a classic emulsified sauce is the preparation of the sabayon. In classic recipes, the egg yolks are combined with a small amount of cold water and the mixture is beaten over heat to form a preliminary, extremely airy emulsion, the sabayon. Water works well because it contains no acid, which tends to stiffen the yolks prematurely, or gelatin, which can make the sabayon too heavy. It is possible, however, to prepare a sabayon with a more flavorful liquid. If the sauce is to be served with poached fish, it makes good culinary sense to use some of the poaching liquid instead of water to give the sauce more character. If the sauce is to be used for meat, then a small amount of appropriate stock or the liquid from a deglazed roasting or sauté pan can be used to give the sauce extra flavor and complexity.