Eggs Benedict
Preparation time: under 30 mins
Cooking time: 10 to 30 mins
Serves: 6
Eggs Benedict makes for the quintessential brunch and a home-made hollandaise sauce beats store-bought every time!
Ingredients:
Eggs and muffins
- 2 tbsp SAFARI® Organic White Wine Vinegar
- 6 free-range eggs, at room temperature
- 6 English muffins, halved
- Butter, for spreading
- 6 slices ham or smoked salmon
- 1-2 tbsp finely snipped fresh chives
Hollandaise sauce
- 4 tbsp SAFARI® Organic White Wine Vinegar
- 225g butter, cubed
- 1 small shallot or ½ banana shallot, finely chopped
- 10 black peppercorns
- 1 bay leaf
- 3 free-range egg yolks
- pinch sea salt
Method:
Eggs
- Fill a large pan just over one-third full of boiling water and 2 tbsp vinegar. Bring the water to a simmer.
- One by one, crack the eggs into a small bowl and gently tip into the simmering water. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Poach for 2-3 minutes.
- Remove with a slotted spoon and plunge into iced water to stop them cooking.
Hollandaise sauce
- Melt the butter slowly in a pan over a low heat, stirring occasionally. Pour into a jug.
- Put the 4 tbsp vinegar, shallot, peppercorns and bay leaf into a small saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil.
- Cook until reduced to 2 tbsp of liquid then remove from the heat.
- Put the 3 egg yolks in a heatproof bowl and place over a pan of simmering water. Do not let the bottom of the bowl touch the water.
- Whisk the egg yolks with the salt and sugar until pale.
- Pour the vinegar mixture through a fine sieve over the yolks and continue whisking until well combined.
- Slowly add the melted butter in a steady stream, whisking constantly, until the sauce is smooth, thick and shiny. Keep warm until ready to serve.
To assemble
- Reheat the eggs by bringing the pan of vinegar water back to a simmer. Using a slotted spoon, place all the cooked eggs into the simmering water and reheat for 1 minute. Remove and drain on kitchen paper.
- Toast the muffin halves and spread with butter.
- Put a muffin half on each plate and top with ham or salmon.
- Place an egg on top of each muffin and spoon over some hollandaise sauce. Sprinkle with chives and serve with the other muffin halves on the side.