Eggs Benedict
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Our traditional Christmas morning breakfast is Eggs Benedict which K cooks. This is a real treat for us as we have to buy salmon although ham is just as good, but we like the treat. It is basically poached eggs with a Hollandaise sauce and requires a little attention and ideally two sober people which is why we have it for breakfast.
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Ingredients for 4 single portions
100g of thin sliced smoked salmon (or ham)
Lemon juice
2 English Muffins
Olive oil
4 eggs for poaching
4 eggs, separated - keep the yolks
Black pepper
75g butter
1 ice-cube (hopefully not required)
Lemon juice
2 English Muffins
Olive oil
4 eggs for poaching
4 eggs, separated - keep the yolks
Black pepper
75g butter
1 ice-cube (hopefully not required)
Instructions
Firstly, get the salmon or ham out of the fridge to warm up a bit, warm the plates as well. Get your water boiling for the poached eggs. Put the 4 egg yolks and cold butter in a pot. Warm gently stirring constantly. The butter will melt and the egg yolks will just start to cook. Stir constantly to ensure the sauce does not separate. I judge by eye when it is ready. Remember to drop your poached eggs before the sauce is finished - about 2-3 minutes after you started the sauce.
Remember to tell Jarvo to drop the muffins for toasting before you drop the eggs and make sure he has the tea brewing. Check constantly to make sure he has not forgotten anything.
Did I mention stir constantly - OK you may need an extra hand or two. About when the sauce is ready - a matter of taste really, I like our sauce not too thick, so when the egg and butter are just starting to thicken I add a few squirts of lemon juice (ideally from a fresh lemon if you have it) to thin it and while the poached eggs are finishing, it will thicken up again. If I think it is getting ahead of the poached eggs, I take it off the heat for a few seconds just to calm down. For us, the sauce runs off the spoon like a thick gravy when it is ready. If it does start to separate, don't panic. Get an ice-cube, drop it in, stir and all will be well again - OK maybe a bit runnier than you might like it - requires more patience - timing - how are the poached eggs doing now??? Don't forget to tell Jarvo not to forget the tea before it is too strong. All in all, it takes about 5 minutes from start to finish on the sauce and you have to get your eggs poached in that time. Timing is everything here. K gets well stressed if the timing is off - not a great way to start Xmas Day.
Remember to tell Jarvo to drop the muffins for toasting before you drop the eggs and make sure he has the tea brewing. Check constantly to make sure he has not forgotten anything.
Did I mention stir constantly - OK you may need an extra hand or two. About when the sauce is ready - a matter of taste really, I like our sauce not too thick, so when the egg and butter are just starting to thicken I add a few squirts of lemon juice (ideally from a fresh lemon if you have it) to thin it and while the poached eggs are finishing, it will thicken up again. If I think it is getting ahead of the poached eggs, I take it off the heat for a few seconds just to calm down. For us, the sauce runs off the spoon like a thick gravy when it is ready. If it does start to separate, don't panic. Get an ice-cube, drop it in, stir and all will be well again - OK maybe a bit runnier than you might like it - requires more patience - timing - how are the poached eggs doing now??? Don't forget to tell Jarvo not to forget the tea before it is too strong. All in all, it takes about 5 minutes from start to finish on the sauce and you have to get your eggs poached in that time. Timing is everything here. K gets well stressed if the timing is off - not a great way to start Xmas Day.
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Toast the muffins and sprinkle a little olive oil on them. Arrange the salmon or ham on top of each muffin in a random manner to make it as difficult as possible for K to balance the eggs on top. Pour the Hollandaise sauce over the top, add a little black pepper to each and get stuck in.
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