Classic Eggs Benedict

Is there a better way to start a Saturday morning than with Eggs Benedict ? I don't think so, so here is the recipe. It is really a very simple dish to make once you master the hollandaise sauce. 

Ingredients: (Serves Two)

For the Hollandaise:

10 TBSP Butter
3 Large Egg Yolks
1.5 TBSP Cold Water
1-2 tsps Fresh Lemon Juice
Salt 
White Pepper
Dash of Hot Sauce

For the Rest of the Dish:

2 English Muffins
4 Slices Canadian Bacon
4 Large Eggs
Vinegar
Chopped Fresh Parsley

Preparation:

Step one is to make the Hollandaise sauce. It will hold well while you prepare the rest of the dish. Slice the butter into small portions and melt over med-low heat in a sauce pan. Skim the foam off the top of the melted butter and keep warm. Add about an inch of water to the bottom of a double boiler and bring to a very low simmer. Off of the heat, place the egg yolks and water in the top of the double boiler or in a large stainless steel mixing bowl. I prefer the mixing bowl to the double boiler as it keeps the egg and water mixture further above the heated water and is less likely to curdle the eggs. (See Photo below.)

Whisk the eggs and water together until they are light and quite foamy. Place the bowl over, not in, barely simmering water and continue to whisk until the eggs are beginning to thicken, about three to five minutes. Do not let the eggs get too hot or they will begin to scramble. You can control the heat by lifting the bowl off of the pan a little. Once the eggs have thickened, remove the bowl from the heat and continue to whisk until the mixture has cooled slightly. Whisking constantly, add the warm butter very slowly to the egg mixture. When all of the butter is incorporated into the mixture you should have a wonderfully smooth thick sauce that is a nice yellow color. Now whisk in the lemon juice and salt and pepper to taste. Add a dash of hot sauce and whisk again. If at any time your sauce looks as if it is about to seperate, whisk in a few drops of cold cream. If the sauce does seperate, whisk another egg yolk in a separate bowl and then whisk that egg yolk into the sauce to reform the emulsion. That is all there is to it. To hold the sauce turn the heat off under the steaming water and set the bowl containing the sauce back on top of the pan.

Fill a soup pot with five to six inches of water. Add a couple of tablespoons of vinegar to the water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. 

Place the Canadian Bacon in a nonstick skillet and heat on medium heat. Split the English muffins and toast. Butter when toasted. Lay the English Muffins on a plate and top with the Canadian Bacon

Crack an egg into a saucer and gently slide the egg into the simmering water. Repeat the process until you have all four eggs in the water. The pot needs to be large enough so that the eggs don't touch one another. It will take about five minutes to poach the eggs. Use a large slotted spoon to move any egg white that leaves an egg back to the egg. When the eggs are done use the slotted spoon to remove them one at a time from the water. Hold each egg in the spoon long enough to let any water drain from the egg and then place each egg on top of a muffin that has been topped with the Bacon. 

Spoon Hollandaise over each egg and top with a little chopped parsley. Serve with fresh fruit or a mixed green salad with a vinaigrette. You can also vary this recipe by substituting lox or sausage for the Canadian Bacon. Use your imagination and enjoy !!