There’s breakfast and then there’s Egg Benedict. This decadent classic is easily one of our favorite dishes to order at brunch. Don’t be fooled though, this dish can be easily recreated in the comfort of your own home. Whether it’s a special occasion or weekend morning, Eggs Benedict is always an “eggscellent” idea.
Serves 4
Ingredients
8 poached eggs
4 english muffins split and toasted with butter
8 ounces sliced smoked salmon
2 ripe avocados
2 cups bearnaise sauce
2 tablespoons chopped chives
Mixed salad or home fries for a side dish
Preparation
Toast English muffins, place 1 ounce smoked salmon slices on each, placed sliced avocado on top of the salmon and then 1 poached egg. Spoon bearnaise sauce over each egg to cover. Garnish with chopped chives and serve with a mixed green salad or home fries.
Bearnaise Sauce
1 tablespoon light vegetable oil
2 tablespoons chopped shallots
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
2 egg yolks
1 pound butter, melted
¼ cup warm water to thin the sauce as needed
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lemon or orange juice
1 dash Tabasco sauce
½ teaspoon salt
Method
In a small sauté pan over medium heat add oil and chopped shallots and lightly sweat them until translucent add chopped tarragon and white wine vinegar and simmer until reduced to half. Bring 2 quarts of water to a boil in a medium sized sauce pot reduce heat to a slow simmer, place egg yolks and vinegar shallot reduction into a stainless-steel bowl place the bowl over the slowly simmering water to create a “double boiler” whisking constantly. Add 1 tablespoon warm water. Carefully whisk egg yolks until they thicken (this is a very delicate process cooking the yolks or not whisking constantly will scramble the eggs) and are creamy and smooth. Turn off the burner so water stops simmers while leaving the bowl of cooked yolks on top. Start gradually adding the butter whisking constantly. Add warm water as need to thin to proper thick and creamy consistency. (the most important thing to avoid “breaking” the ”emulsion” is to add warm melted butter slowly, whisk constantly and never let the mixture get too hot or too cold, it should be warm but not hot) Season the bearnaise sauce with salt, a dash of tabasco and a squeeze of fresh lemon or orange.
Poaching Eggs
Once the bearnaise sauce is made, place it in a warm place to maintain temperature. Place the sauce pot with water on the stove and bring to a slow simmer, add 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt to the water. Crack and drop a few eggs at a time into the water and cook for about 3 minutes for runny yolks, remove with a slotted spoon, place the egg on top of each smoked salmon and avocado English muffin. Follow steps above.