breakfast

Eggs Benedict with Proper Hollandaise

Name: Eggs Benedict with Proper Hollandaise
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 4 large eggs, for poaching; 3 large egg yolks, for hollandaise; 10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and warm; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; Pinch of cayenne pepper; 2 English muffins, split and toasted; 4 slices Canadian bacon or thick-cut ham; 1 tablespoon white vinegar; Kosher salt; Chopped chives, for garnish

Hollandaise is a warm emulsion that requires active management from start to finish. Egg yolks are whisked over indirect heat with a reduction of white wine vinegar until they reach ribbon stage, thick enough to hold a trail from the whisk. Clarified butter goes in slowly, drop by drop at first, then in a thin stream as the emulsion builds. The yolk's lecithin holds the fat in suspension; acid stabilizes the structure. The sauce breaks if the butter goes in too fast or the bowl gets too hot. Everything else on the plate, the Canadian bacon, the English muffin toasted in butter, the poached egg, exists to support the hollandaise. The poached egg is critical to the composition: its runny yolk breaks into the sauce when cut, extending the hollandaise down through the layers. Benedict fails when the hollandaise is made in advance and reheated, or when the eggs are poached too far ahead and go rubbery. Make it to order.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 15 min Total: 30 min Serves: 2

Ingredients

4 large eggs, for poaching
3 large egg yolks, for hollandaise
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and warm
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Pinch of cayenne pepper
2 English muffins, split and toasted
4 slices Canadian bacon or thick-cut ham
1 tablespoon white vinegar
Kosher salt
Chopped chives, for garnish

Instructions

Make the hollandaise: Set a heatproof bowl over a pot of barely simmering water — the bowl should not touch the water. Whisk egg yolks and lemon juice together until the mixture thickens slightly and lightens in color, about 2 minutes.
Begin adding the warm melted butter very slowly — a thin stream at first, whisking constantly. As the emulsion takes hold, you can add the butter a bit faster. If the sauce gets too thick, whisk in a few drops of warm water.
Season with salt and cayenne. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm. The sauce should coat the back of a spoon and hold a line when you draw your finger through it.
Poach the eggs: Bring a deep saucepan of water to a gentle simmer. Add white vinegar. Crack each egg into a small fine-mesh strainer to drain excess loose white, then slip gently into the water.
Poach for 3 to 4 minutes until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain briefly on a paper towel.
Warm the Canadian bacon in a skillet over medium heat, about 1 minute per side.
Assemble: Place toasted English muffin halves on plates. Top each with a slice of Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and a generous spoonful of hollandaise. Garnish with chives.

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