Taste brilliant and such a classic …
Eggs Benedict!
Eggs Benedict has to be one of my favorite dishes! I could enjoy this anytime of day. Morning, noon or night – and there is nothing like enjoying it for brunch on the weekend.
Okay, so Eggs Benedict. Where did the name come from? There are several stories all of which are good, but my favorite is about the financier Lemuel Benedict from New York. In 1894, apparently after a long night out, he needed a little something to alleviate his hangover. He was at the Waldorf Hotel the next morning and ordered “some buttered toast, crisp bacon, two poached eggs, and a hooker of hollandaise sauce”. The hotel chef was rather impressed and decided to add his own twist to it and it was forever on the menu as Eggs Benedict. There are other renditions as to the origins as well, which can be found around the internet, one of which would be Wikipedia.
Regardless of the origin, it is rather tasty indeed and they knew they were on to something. There are so many varieties in creating Eggs Benedict now, that you should be able to find one to suit your taste.
I’m not the best traditional egg poacher out there, but practice makes perfect as they say, and this one is perfect for practicing and honing my skills 😉 Although, if you eat Poached Eggs frequently, I would HIGHLY recommend investing in proper Egg Poaching Cups!
So, my mom who absolutely will not touch a runny egg has informed me that I can make this one for her anytime. She loves them this way. When I first made them for her and in my curiosity (or need for approval – ahem), I kept asking if she enjoyed her Eggs Benedict … I was worried a bit at first because she said NOTHING! Finally she managed to catch a breath between bites and told me how much she loved it and yes I sighed with relief! It also means that I get to enjoy my favorite egg dish more often!
Usually you only find Eggs Benedict maybe with chives sprinkled over the top, but feel free to pimp it up any way you like. I prefer mine with a hint of chili added. I usually go for either a smoked ham that you can purchase from the Deli and on occasion I add CRISPY Canadian Bacon … I have to have my bacon on the crispy side, so don’t mess with me on that one. I’m sorry to disappoint though, because I will not eat Eggs Benedict with spinach, oh no no no – I love my meat.
The Hollandaise sauce does require a wee bit of patience but well worth it. It must be cooked in a heatproof bowl that is placed over a saucepan (double boiler style) with about an inch of water in the bottom on simmering heat. If you happen to have any leftover, you can refrigerate it, BUT do not heat it up in the microwave! You must gently simmer it again in the same manner as you originally cooked it. Otherwise you will be enjoying some rather buttery scrambled eggs!
Eggs Benedict
Ingredients
Hollandaise Sauce:
- 2 Egg Yolks
- 1 Tbls hot water
- 1 stick 4 oz Unsalted Butter, cut into cubes
- Squeeze of Lemon juice to taste
- Salt and Pepper to taste
For the Eggs Benedict:
- 2 Eggs at room temperature
- 1 English Muffins cut in half and toasted
- Unsalted Butter for toasted Muffins
- 2 slices Ham or cooked crispy Bacon I used Smoked Ham
- Hollandaise Sauce recipe below
- Chives chopped
- Chili Peppers chopped finely (optional)
Instructions
Hollandaise Sauce:
- In a saucepan, heat about an inch of water over medium heat so the water is simmering, do not boil. Place a heatproof bowl over the saucepan and add the Egg Yolks plus the Water and start whisking.
- Now add 1 cube of butter at a time until melted, keep whisking and adding butter until all has been well incorporated. !Do not add the butter all at one time.
- Continue to whisk and cook for another 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened and able to coat the back of a spoon. Again, keep whisking and do not let the water bath boil or you will end up with curdled or scrambled buttery eggs.
- Remove saucepan from heat, add about 1 tsp of Lemon juice and Salt and Pepper to taste. Adjust accordingly then carefully remove the heatproof boil and cover and set aside.
For the Poached Eggs:
If you have an Egg Poacher, BRILLIANT and use as directed. Otherwise follow the instructions below for the traditional method.
- Fill a saucepan with water, a splash of white vinegar and a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer over medium to medium low heat, just when it starts to gently bubble. Do not bring to a full boil.
- It's easiest to open each Egg into a small bowl or cup and one at a time, while keeping your bowl just above the water, slide each Egg into the simmering water.
- Cook for about 2 - 3 minutes until the egg white is set and the yolk is still runny.
- Remove Poached Eggs with a slotted spoon carefully and drain on a paper towel lined plate.
For the Assembly:
- Place the buttered toasted English Muffin on plate, top with Ham or Cooked Crispy Bacon. Now carefully add the Poached Egg and drizzle the Hollandaise Sauce over Egg. Sprinkle with Chives and Peppers, and Salt and Pepper to taste.
- Serve up and Enjoy!
- Tip: Keep Hollandaise covered if not using with cling wrap. Only warm over simmering water, never heat in microwave. Whisk just before serving if needed.
My timeline for making this dish. 1. Bring the water for the Poached Eggs to a Simmer. Meanwhile start making the Hollandaise Sauce and if using bacon start cooking. Chop my Chives and Peppers. Start Poaching my Eggs. After about 2 minutes of Poaching the Eggs, I toast my English Muffins then spread with butter once done. Place the Muffins on the serving plates, top with my meat, poached egg and drizzle sauce over top. Sprinkle Chives and Peppers and Salt and Pepper. Serve and enjoy!
Serves 1 - 2
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