This Eggs
Benedict recipe is an all-time favorite breakfast and brunch menu item
made with English muffins, Canadian-Style bacon,
poached eggs, and
Hollandaise sauce.
The
first time I
had this egg recipe was at a friend's house during college for brunch.
She showed me how easy this recipe really was and I was in heaven!
The
creamy Hollandaise sauce is made with
eggs and butter and seasoned with a bit of cayenne pepper and lemon
juice. What a delicious treat for a special holiday breakfast or
brunch! When the poached eggs are cut open they mix beautifully with
the creamy Hollandaise sauce. The saltiness of the ham and toasted
English muffins offset and compliment the creamy eggs and sauce.
2 egg yolks 1-1/2
teaspoons Lemon Juice 1
stick butter (1/2 cup) 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper dash
of salt
Kitchen
Equipment Needed
medium saucepan (5"-6" high sides) for poaching
eggs double boiler for the Hollandaise sauce frying
pan toaster or toaster oven
Instructions:
Step 1-The Poached Eggs:
In a medium saucepan,
fill with about 3 inches of water and bring to a rolling boil. Add a
bit of salt to the water. This will help the eggs stay together when
you poach them. Reduce the heat to a simmer before you add the eggs.
Crack the eggs into separate small dishes, being careful not
to break
the yolks.
Slowly pour each egg into the
lightly simmering water. You can do 2-3 depending how large your
saucepan is and how confident you are with the process. Cover and
remove from heat. Cook for about 3-5 minutes depending on how runny you
like your eggs. Drain well with a slotted spoon. Place the eggs on a
serving
plate and repeat
with the remaining eggs. Keep the eggs warm.
Still
unsure about poaching eggs? This website has a very nice tutorial:
How
to poach an egg.
Step
2-The Hollandaise Sauce: Whisk
together the egg yolks and lemon juice in the top portion of a double
boiler. In the bottom of the double boiler, add enough water but make
sure it does not touch the top saucepan. Heat to a simmer. Cut the
stick of butter into three pieces and add the first piece into the egg
yolks, stirring constantly until melted. Continue with the other two
pieces of butter, one at a time until dissolved. Keep stirring and
cooking the mixture for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce is
thickened. Remove it from the heat and add in the cayenne pepper and
salt. Keep warm until ready to serve.
Step
3-The English Muffins and Canadian Style Bacon:
Fry the Canadian Style bacon in a pan until warm. Toast the English
muffins in a toaster and butter them.
Step
4-Plating the Eggs Benedict: Place 2 toasted and
buttered English
muffin halves on a plate. Cover each with a slice of Canadian Style
bacon. Spoon a poached egg (drained well) over each slice of bacon.
Spoon Hollandaise sauce over each half. Garnish the plate
with fresh grape tomatoes for added color.
Makes
4 servings.
You can also find more information
and helpful hints on how to make Eggs Benedict here.
***A
note on the Canadian Bacon***
The
product I used in this recipe is Canadian Style Bacon, which is not the
same as Canadian bacon or strip bacon. It is cut from the loin of the
pig and is much leaner than standard bacon. It is also cured in the
same manner as a ham would be. As a substitute, you could use a thinly
sliced ham, but the texture of the meat will be slightly different as
it is not as lean.