Eggs Benedict

This one went onto the hit list for the benefit of Rory, as today is his birthday and it's the weekend, I thought I'd be daring and try it out. There's not a lot of photographic evidence (aka none) of the cooking process. I was a bit panicked about sauce separating and eggs dissolving as I tried to poach them, so here is the final product...

Eggs Benedict is served!

Eggs Benedict

Makes: 4 serves (1/2 an English muffin each)

Prep Time: 5 mins  Cook Time: 15mins

For the Hollandaise Sauce
125g unsalted butter (melted)
3 eggs yolks
1/2 tbsp vinegar (1tbsp of lemon juice does the same job)
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp plain flour

1. Put 3 eggs yolks, vinegar and salt into the blender. Mix on Medium speed for 20-30 seconds (until the eggs lighten in colour)

2. Turn the blender down to the lowest setting and slowly add the melted butter while continuing to blend. (Check the flavour at this point and add salt/vinegar as preferred)

3. Transfer the sauce into a heat proof container and place in a warm spot on the stove, allowing it to thicken while you poach the eggs (see below) 

4. As the eggs are finishing, if the sauce hasn't thickened (as mine hadn't) turn a hot plate to the lowest setting, add a bit of flour (I used about 2 tsp) and stir constantly over the low heat until the sauce thickens to the right consistency.


For the Poached Eggs
4 eggs
2 tsp vinegar
water

1. Bring a large saucepan, two-thirds-filled with water, to a boil and then add the vinegar. Bring the water to a boil again and then lower the heat to a bare simmer.

2. Working one egg at a time, crack it into a ladle (or small bowl) and slip it into the barely simmering water. Once it begins to solidify, slip in the next egg until you have all four cooking. 

3. Turn off the heat, cover the pot and let it sit for 6 minutes. When you need to remove the eggs, lift them out gently using a slotted spoon. (Timing will vary based on the eggs, size of your pan and how runny you like them to be! Experimentation is the key here!)

For the Eggs Benedict
2 English Muffins
4 slices of Smoked Salmon (you could use bacon if you prefer but Rory likes salmon so we went with that)
Chives
Cracked pepper

1. Toast the English Muffins and lay the salmon on top. Then add the poached eggs and pour the hollandaise over them. Chop some chives and/or crack some pepper on top.

2. Serve with extra salmon if you wish.

Working on the premise that Rory sat there almost licking the plate clean and looking at it expectantly as though it was going to magically reproduce more of the same I would say this was possibly Rory's favourite dish so far. I found making the sauce wasn't what I was expecting so I needed to do some tweaking. Another recipe I looked at used a double boiler to make the sauce which might have been better - if I owned a double boiler, alas I do not, so I went with the blender method which seemed to do the trick.

I now have a pile of egg whites sitting on my bench calling my name and whispering Lemon Meringue Pie, but without a yellow lemon to be found in Bogota that could be a little tricky...