Eggs Benedict

 Mother's Day is coming up and what recipe is more appropriate for Mother's Day than Eggs Benedict!  An elegant and seemingly difficult recipe to impress your mom with.  A delicious breakfast that will show her how much you love her and appreciate everything she's done for you.

Eggs Benedict has always been a recipe I've been intimidated by.  A dish that has a reputation for being difficult.  I've never poached an egg and hollandaise sauce is known for being finicky so I knew I was in for a questionable post that might result in a back up plan if it failed.

Boy have I been wrong about Eggs Benedict! This recipe was far easier than I could have ever imagined.  Granted, you should be warned it does require a number of steps and preparation of different ingredients to assemble, but the steps are far less difficult than we've all been led to believe.

Hollandaise sauce is quite simple- the trick is to keep your temperature very low.  At a barely there simmer.  Once you reach that temperature you just combine your ingredients and whisk until it thickens.  Season it after it's thickened, and you have a beautifully rich hollandaise sauce to be proud of!

Poaching the eggs was the more difficult task for me last night.  I over cooked my first egg, it only took one try before I had a delicious runny poached egg.

With my step by step pictures, I tried to eliminate the guess work so you will have the confidence to make an unforgettable Mother's Day dish your family will love!

Begin with filling a medium sauce pan with 1 inch of water.  Bring to barely a simmer (notice the very few  bubbles- you don't want it too hot):

Combine your egg yolks and butter in a large heat resistant bowl and set it over your barely simmering water.  Whisk constantly:

Until your butter melts and your ingredients are just combined:

Meanwhile microwave your water for 1 minute and 30 seconds or until boiling and gradually add it to your egg and butter mixture:

Whisk constantly for 7-10 minutes or until thickened.  Your mixture will become a thin consistency and lighten in color when the water is added:

As you whisk it will slowly thicken (at 6 minutes the consistency drastically changed) and the color will brighten:

Once thickened, immediately remove from the heat and add your lemon juice:

And season with salt and cayenne pepper:

Whisk until combined, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm location:

Then in a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium/high heat and cook your bacon:

Until browned on both sides.  Once browned, set aside on a paper towel lined plate:

To poach your eggs, fill a large skillet almost to the top with water and add your vinegar and salt.  If you're only poaching a couple of eggs at a time a sauce pot will work as well:

Bring your pot to a rolling boil over high heat.  While you're waiting for your water to boil, crack your egg into a separate bowl.  Once it reaches a boil, remove your pan from the heat and gently add your egg:

Cover with a lid and let it sit for 4-7 minutes:

Or until the whites are set, but the yolks are runny:

Then using a slotted spoon, gently scoop your egg out of the water and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towel:

Meanwhile, chop your chives and toast your english muffins:

Once all of your ingredients have been prepared, top your english muffin half with a piece of Canadian bacon, then your poached egg, spoon with hollandaise sauce, and sprinkle with chives.  Continue these steps with all of the english muffins:

Take a bite and enjoy that oozing egg and rich hollandaise sauce:

Eggs Benedict
Cook's Country Magazine and Joelen's Culinary Adventures
Makes: 12
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: about 15 minutes
(Printable Recipe)


Ingredients
Hollandaise Sauce:
1 1/2 sticks butter, softened
6 large egg yolks
1/2 cup boiling water
2 teaspoons lemon juice
pinch of cayenne pepper
salt to taste (about 1/4 teaspoon)

Poached Eggs:
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 teaspoon salt
12 eggs

6 english muffins, split and toasted
12 slices Canadian bacon
chives for garnish


Directions
Hollandaise Sauce:

Begin with filling a medium sauce pan with 1 inch of water.  The water cannot touch the bottom of your bowl when the water is simmering.  Once filled with water, bring to barely a simmer.  If the temperature is too hot your eggs will cook. Combine your egg yolks and butter in a large heat resistant bowl and set it over your barely simmering water.  Whisk constantly until your butter melts and your ingredients are just combined.  Meanwhile, microwave your water for 1 minute and 30 seconds or until boiling and gradually add it to your egg and butter mixture.  Whisk constantly for 7-10 minutes or until thickened.  Your mixture will become a thin consistency and lighten in color when the water is added.  As you whisk it will slowly thicken (at 6 minutes the consistency drastically changed) and the color will brighten.  Once thickened, immediately remove from the heat and add your lemon juice and season with salt and cayenne pepper.  Whisk until combined, cover with plastic wrap, and set aside in a warm location.

Poaching Eggs:

To poach your eggs, fill a large skillet with water reaching almost to the top and add your vinegar and salt.  Bring your pot to a rolling boil over high heat.  While you're waiting for your water to boil, crack your egg into a separate bowl.  Once it reaches a boil, remove your pan from the heat and gently add your eggs, one at a time, cracking them into a bowl and gently pouring it into your pot from there to help avoid breaking the yolk.  (Be careful not to crowd your eggs- poach up to 6 eggs at a time).  Cover with a lid and let it sit for 3-5 minutes or until the whites are set, but the yolks are runny.  Then using a slotted spoon, gently scoop your egg out of the water and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towel. 

Assembly:

In a skillet, melt 1 tablespoon of butter over medium/high heat and cook your bacon until browned on both sides.  Once browned, set aside on a paper towel lined plate. Then chop your chives and toast your english muffins.  Once all of your ingredients have been prepared, top your english muffin with a piece of Canadian bacon, then your poached egg, spoon with hollaindaise sauce, and sprinkle with chives.