Eggs Benedict

Ingredients

• 1 egg yolk
• 1-2 tbsp water (or dry white wine)
• 50 g butter
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• pinch salt
• 2 slices bread
• bacon
• smoked salmon
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• 2 eggs
• spinach
• black pepper
• fresh herbs

Cookware

• heatproof bowl
• double boiler
• saucepan

Steps

Classic brunch dish with poached eggs, bacon, and hollandaise sauce on toasted bread. The key is gentle heat for both the sauce and poached eggs.

Hollandaise Sauce

1. Separate egg yolk from white. In a heatproof bowl over double boiler, add water and let warm slightly. Add egg yolk and whisk until smooth.

Important: don’t overheat the bowl or water, or the yolk will curdle too quickly.

2. While continuously whisking, slowly pour in melted butter. Whisk until thickened - don’t overcook or butter will separate! Add lemon juice and salt. Transfer to clean dry bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Assembly Components

3. Toast bread until golden. Cook bacon until crispy (or use smoked salmon as alternative).

Vegetarian option: use thick tomato slices seasoned with dried garlic, salt, and pepper, pan-fried on both sides.

Poached Eggs

4. Fill saucepan with no more than 5cm of water. Bring to boil, then reduce heat so water barely simmers with small bubbles on bottom. Add salt and white vinegar to help whites set.

5. Create a whirlpool in water with spoon. Crack eggs one at a time into the center of whirlpool. Set timer for 3 minutes.

Fresh eggs with firm whites can be poached without vinegar or salt. Vinegar helps if you’re concerned about whites not setting properly.

Final Assembly

6. Optionally reheat hollandaise in clean bowl over double boiler - use fresh clean bowl to avoid lumps.

7. On each toast, layer spinach, bacon (or salmon/tomato), and poached egg. Generously drizzle with hollandaise sauce.

8. Finish with black pepper and fresh herbs to taste.