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Eggs
Benedict |
Ingredients:
Canadian Bacon (2 slices per serving) It’s OK to substitute
ham
English Muffins (1 per serving, sliced and toasted)
Poached eggs - I actually make steamed eggs.
Hollandaise Sauce (I fake it because the real thing is so difficult
to get right.)
The following should make enough sauce for 6 - 8 servings.
2-3 tablespoons
butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 cup approximately, cream or half and half
2 egg yolks
teaspoon lemon juice
salt to taste
Set up eggs first.
Spray egg cups with vegetable oil spray, or brush on vegetable oil
- peanut oil, whatever you prefer. I brush on soft butter. Crack
eggs into the cups, fill the base with water.
• Lightly fry the Canadian Bacon just enough to heat it through.
It is already cooked. Turn off burner. Warm some plates in the oven.
• Meanwhile, start toasting the muffins and turn on the burner
under the egg poacher. When the water boils in the base of the poacher,
turn it to low while you finish the sauce. Watch the eggs as you
prepare the sauce. When the egg whites start to look set turn off
the heat. If they are done, get them out of the pan entirely or
they will continue cooking and may overcook. You want the whites
set and the yolks to be creamy.
Now about the Hollandaise Sauce:
• Melt butter in heavy sauce pan, add flour, cook until bubbly.
Add cream/half and half, whisking until thick.
If using half and half, add slowly so the sauce doesn’t get
too thin. Whisk or stir until it starts to boil, immediately take
off heat, add lemon juice, salt, taste, adjust seasoning. Wait for
sauce to cool a little before adding the egg yolks (this is mostly
about color, so if your sauce is kind of thin, just use one) Remember
if the egg yolks cook fast the sauce will get lumpy. Cook on med/low
for maybe 4-5 minutes after adding the egg yolks stirring constantly.
Do not let it boil.
If you need to wait a bit, it's best to reheat this sauce rather
than leave it on a hot burner.
• Butter the toasted muffins. Set them on the warm plates.
Lay on the Canadian Bacon. Run a dull knife around the eggs and
unmold onto the Canadian Bacon. Ladle on the Sauce.
Note: Real poached eggs are eggs which are cracked into boiling,
salted, acidulated water (vinegar). Gently simmered for about 3
minutes, and lifted out of the water with a slotted spoon, blotted
dry with a paper towel. I’ve tried this a number of times
and all I get is a mess and the egg white somehow always laminates
permanently to the pan. It works best with very fresh eggs and a
non-stick saucepan. It is the official right method.
-Kate
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