Eggs benedict are poached eggs served on English muffins with ham and hollandaise sauce. First, make the hollandaise sauce. The recipe follows. Then heat the water for your poached eggs. The water should be simmering, not boiling. Toast and butter your English muffins. While the muffins are toasting, slip the eggs into the hot water and cook slices of ham or Canadian bacon. The eggs should be done in three or four minutes and meat heated through in the same time.
Place a slice of the meat on a toasted English muffin half. Top with a poached egg. Spoon hollandaise sauce over the combination and serve immediately.
Hollandaise Sauce
2/3 cup butter
2 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 to 1 tablespoon lemon juice, to taste
salt and pepper to taste
- Bring the butter to a simmer over low heat and set aside to allow the foam to rise. Skim the foam off and gently pour the remaining clear butter off the top of the milk solids. Discard the milk solids. You should have a little more than one-third cup clear, clarified butter. Keep the butter warm.
- In a medium steel bowl, whisk the egg yolks and cold water together.
- Place the steel bowl over a pan of simmering water. Beat the egg yolks with a whisk over the hot water bath until they are thick and creamy.
- Gradually drizzle in the warm, melted butter while continuing to beat the egg yolks. Add the lemon juice. Add the salt and pepper to taste. Use immediately and discard any leftovers.
Safety note: We recommend using pasteurized eggs. Use hollandaise sauce within 1 1/2 hours. If you are uncomfortable serving a sauce made with partially cooked eggs, many grocery stores carry a mix for hollandaise sauce that is a passable substitute.
