Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict – poached eggs served on toasted english muffins with creamy and buttery hollandaise sauce.
The name of this dish comes probably from Lemuel Benedict, Wall Street broker who ordered all ingredients separately in Waldorf Hotel. The head waiter was so impressed with the combination, that he put it as a dish on the breakfast menu. Traditionally Eggs Benedict are served with a rasher of bacon.
The tricky part is to correctly poach the egg. The easiest option is to boil water with some vinegar and stir it vigorously with a spoon or a whisker before sliding the egg into it. If you’re unsuccessful there are silicon egg poachers on the market, that guarantee the result. You can also try to place a slotted spoon in the boiling water, and break the egg onto it, then remove it once the egg white begins to set.
Once poached, serve the egg on a toasted english muffin with a generous dollop of hollandaise sauce. Decorate the plate with some watercress. Enjoy!
- 150 g butter (unsalted)
- 2 egg yolks
- juice from ¼ lemon
- sea salt and white pepper (or cayenne)
- 2 eggs
- 2 english muffins
- 1 tbsp white wine vinegar
- sea salt
- watercress (optional)
- All ingredients should be in room temperature.
- Boil the water in a large pan and leave it to simmer.
- Place egg yolks in a small bowl (it should comfortably fit over the pan with the water), add the lemon juice and a tablespoon of water and whisk together until combined.
- In the meantime melt the butter in a small saucepan, using a spoon remove any white foam from the top.
- Place the bowl with yolks over the simmering water and whisk for 3 - 4 minutes, until the mixture gets thick and pale in colour.
- Remove from the heat and add the melted butter (it needs to be hot), spoon by spoon, whisking continuously until combined and creamy. If it gets to thick add a tiny splash of water. Season with salt and a tiny pinch of white or cayenne pepper.
- Boil some water in a deep saucepan, break each egg into a ramekin or a small glass.
- Reduce the heat and let the water simmer, add the vinegar and season with a pinch of salt.
- Swirl the water with a spoon and slide the egg in in one movement. Poach the egg for 3 - 4 minutes and remove with a slotted spoon.
- Toast the muffin, place the egg on top and spoon the hollandaise on top.
- Serve with watercress.
