Everytime I see eggs benedict on a menu, it puts a smile on my face. I like to dub it as sunshine on a plate: two softly poached eggs on top of a Canadian bacon and a warm, toasted English muffin served with a dollop of creamy, luscious hollandaise sauce. In other words, "Good Morning, Sunshine!"
Admittedly, I love eggs. It's one of my favorite food. I like it poached, fried, scrambled, deviled... you name it. I'll pass on Wheaties for eggs anyday. Adios, Mary Lou.
My eggs benedict recipe is a breakfast worthy of champions. Contrary to popular assumptions, it's actually easy to make eggs benedict with homemade hollandaise. It's all about timing and quick assembly. Follow my instructions, and you too will get a gold medal from your Sunday brunch guests.
Suggestion: For a lighter, healthier option, you can swap the the Canadian bacon for a slice of tomato. For a more glamorous version, you can use prosciutto or smoked salmon for the savory component. For a French twist, try it with crossiant halves in lieu of English muffins.
Serves: 2-4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Ingredients
4 slices of Canadian bacon or prosciutto
1 teaspoon of white vinegar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons of butter
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
1 teaspoon of tabasco sauce
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/2 teaspoon of pepper (preferably white)
4 English muffins halves
Dash of cayenne pepper
Preparation
- In a large saucepan, bring 3 inches of water to simmer.
- While water is coming to a simmer, lightly brown the Canadian bacon evenly on both sides over medium-high heat in a skillet. Set aside. Cover to keep it warm.
- Melt butter in a microwave safe bowl until bubbly about 1 minute. Add egg yolks, lemon juice, salt, pepper and tabasco and whisk until smooth. Cover and set aside
- Add vinegar to water. Break 1 egg into a bowl and slide it into simmering water as close to the surface of the water as possible. Repeat with other eggs.
- Use a slotted spoon to gather any egg whites that might have spread out toward the yolk. You have to do this in the beginning of the poaching process. Cook about 2-3 minutes. Remove and drain on a paper towel. (Tip: Sight & touch are important for determining when the eggs are ready. For a soft, runny yolk, carefully bring an egg above water with a slotted spoon. You want it still jiggly like extra soft tofu, not firm like jello.)
- Toast English muffins to warm.
Serving suggestion. Place a muffin on a plate. Top with 1 slice of Canadian bacon, 1 poached egg, a drizzle of your homemade hollandaise sauce, and a sprinkle cayenne pepper. Serve immediately.
(Note: You can poach the eggs and make the sauce before your guests arrive. Just drop the eggs in simmering water to warm them and add a few drops of hot water to your hollandiase sauce to bring it back up to temperature and thin it out since cold sauce tends to thicken.)
