The Classic Series: Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict

Everybody that knows me well knows I have a real thing about eggs Benedict.  It is my ultimate breakfast and I absolutely love it.  I love it so much that when we go out for breakfast or brunch it is what I pick almost every single time. 

Sometimes I feel really boring, especially when I am teased about what I am going to order.  Not however enough to not order it!  I love the creamy yet lemony hollandaise, the soft oozy egg and how it all soaks into the lovely soft muffin with the slightly salty ham to offset it all.  It is one of those special dishes that is loved by so many worldwide. A classic.

When I talk here of eggs Benedict I am also referring to eggs Royale (smoked salmon in place of the ham) and eggs Florentine (freshly cooked spinach), my preference is always Benedict but they are all gorgeous.

It really is a wonderful thing to enjoy and yet it is mostly reserved for when we go to restaurants.  Why?  Because actually it is quite difficult.  I have been thoroughly researching eggs Benedict/Royale and Florentine the last few months and can tell you that despite looking innocent enough, these are not easy dishes to get right.  Both the hollandaise and the poached egg are not hard but are tricky to get perfect and on top of that everything needs to be hot which for me testing was the easiest pit fall.  Initially I found the hollandaise was merely luke warm by the time I served and that was what needed to be corrected.

I tried a few different ways without huge success and then at some point during testing I was pouring hot soup into a thermos and got thinking that the sauce goes in hot and stays hot for a good few hours, almost like magic. Could this work with hollandaise?  After testing one more time I was chuffed to see it did.  This really made all the difference to making home made eggs Benedict perfect.

I love hollandaise sauce.  Yes it is high in calories being full of butter but for an occasional treat it is perfect. 

Incidentally, it goes extremely well with freshly cooked asparagus and a poached egg.  Cook the hollandaise and put into the thermos then trim the asparagus then put into boiling water, reduce the heat to a simmer and cook for 3-5 mins depending on how thick they are.  Remove the asparagus and put the eggs into the water.  I then put a little salt and pepper over the asparagus, top with the freshly cooked poached egg and top with the hollandaise. Gorgeous.

The biggest problem with hollandaise is how very easy it is to overcook it, scramble it, split it or just not get it thick enough.  I have made this a lot now and as long as you stick to the recipe, make sure the butter goes in slowly and it doesn't overheat you should be ok.  If you really are nervous and want eggs Benedict without the stress then you can buy your hollandaise, fresh or jarred depending on where you shop.  It won't be as nice as freshly made but it is perfectly passable, you might just need a little squeeze of fresh lemon and a touch of salt but check once warmed.

For poached eggs, use a little vinegar in the water, crack the egg into a fine mesh sieve first to strain out some of the thinner whites that make your poached egg look ragged and scruffy, put into a little ramekin then tip into the hot water to cook, they should come out look perfect.

Hollandaise sauce

The muffins should be English muffins and should be only lightly toasted (you really don't want them too crispy), topped with butter and then what?  Ham? Bacon?  I tested both but I actually prefer ham.  The ham cuts easier and I like that it is not super crispy, crispiness kind of ruins the overall feel for me but you should know that if you prefer bacon you should sub the ham.  It is your dish after all.  Just cook the ham before you start to cook the muffin or egg.

Eggs royale

If you are making this for a special occasion then to make everything look perfect cut your ham (or indeed smoked salmon if you are making the Royale version) out with a round cutter the same size as your muffin, it will look perfect. 

If you don't mind so much just cut the slices and overlap to keep neat.

This may cause some stresses and it certainly does take time - especially your first time - but once you start eating you will happily forget the time it took because home made hollandaise is a thing of beauty.  Do give it a try and let me know how it goes.