SANDRA'S GENUINELY DELICIOUS EGGS BENEDICT

How can you not serve this to your loved ones...

Servings (2 as an entree,
or 4 as a side dish)
Prep: 30 mins. |
Cook: 15 to 20 mins.

Posted by Sandra

INGREDIENTS

***Poaching Eggs:
· 4 large eggs
· 2” depth of water in a 10” skillet
· 2 tablespoons white vinegar (it quickly coagulates the egg white)

***Hollandaise Sauce:
· 3 egg yolks
· 1 tablespoon water
· 1 tablespoon lemon juice
· 2 sticks butter, at room temperature (cut into 2 tablespoon pats while cold)
· 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

*** Topping:
· 4 canadian ham, slices (or regular ham slices)
· 1 tablespoon butter

***Garnish:
· fresh parsley, chopped

Equipment for poaching eggs:
- a small bowl or ramekin to break the eggs into before adding to water
- a kitchen timer
- a slotted spoon;
- a pie plate of very warm water (to wash off vinegar)

METHOD

Preparing the sauce: Whisk the yolks, water, and lemon juice in the saucepan for a few moments, until thick and pale. Set the pan over low heat and continue to whisk. As they cook, the eggs will become frothy and increase in volume, and then thicken. When you can see the pan bottom through the streaks of the whisk and the eggs are thick and smooth, remove from the heat. Add the soft pats of butter while whisking constantly to incorporate each addition, continue adding one pat of butter at a time until it is all fully absorbed. Whisk in the cayenne pepper.

Preparing the poached eggs: Pour water into the skillet and heat to boiling; pour in vinegar and stir, reducing the heat so water is just simmering – quietly bubbling. Crack 1 egg into small bowl, and then holding the bowl as close over the water as you can manage – to let the egg slide gently into the simmering water. Set timer for 4 minutes. Continue with the 3 other eggs, adding them clockwise around edge of pan. Regulate the heat so that the poaching water remains at hardly a bubble, and when 4 minutes are up, carefully remove first egg with a slotted spoon and slide it into the pie plate of very warm water, and then remove the other eggs in turn.

Just before serving, toast the muffins lightly, and warm the ham in a frying pan with a tablespoon of butter. Center a toast round on each warm serving plate; cover with a slice of ham and then a poached egg (I first dab under the spoon lightly with a paper towel to remove excess water from egg). Spoon hollandaise sauce over each egg, and sprinkle with parsley.

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Note: I like to serve with fresh strawberries; plus fried potatoes I make beforehand, and keep warm in a 225-degree oven, along with warm plates.