Plan, shop and cook with ease

While you can use melted butter to make a hollandaise, Shannon says using clarified butter will give you the rich nutty flavour that French chefs seek of this classic sauce.

You can use a microwave for this — 500g of butter will give about 300ml clarified butter (microwave on high for 2 mins in a glass jug, or until melted, let stand and spoon off the top foamy layer), which will make sauce for eight serves.

They don’t say butter is the French chef ’s best friend for nothing.

Infusing white wine/ champagne vinegar with peppercorns, bay leaf and parsley stalks and reducing it by half will also add delicate perfume to the sauce.

Whisk four egg yolks over a water bath, vigorously whisking the vinegar when the yolks come up to temperature.

“You’re looking for a really thick foam that you can make a ‘H’ with the whisk, then you’re ready to add the clarified butter,” Shannon says.

Add the butter in gradually, whisking to combine.

If the hollandaise becomes too thick before all the butter has been added, loosen the mix with a few drops of warm water.

When all the butter has emulsified, season with salt at the end.

“You could serve this with some steamed fish, steamed potatoes and spinach, and you have the perfect supper,” Shannon says. of minutes as the eggs are cooking, stop stirring to let the omelette form.

Once the top of the omelette is almost set but still wobbly, add a filling down the centre — grated cheese; finely chopped herbs, or leave as is — then, tip the pan slightly to roll the omelette down the pan.

“The classic omelette is shaped like a cigar that’s nice and soft and delicate in the centre,” Shannon says.

“In the Carlton Vue de monde days when I started, I used to do a omelette with a little fennel salad.

“It got me through the first six months — low food cost, high skills that people appreciated. It was on the lunch menu with some smoked cod. Just lovely.”