There is really nothing like a classic-style Eggs Benedict–as served at a hotel. We had our doubts about managing one at home for National Eggs Benedict Day–that being April 16th. We still decided to give it a try with our kids in mind. All we had to do to convince them to go along with it was to mention the connection between Eggs Benedict and McDonald’s Egg McMuffin. There is one, even though a Classic Eggs Benedict is a culinary work of art that is more than worthy of its own holiday. Here’s the one that we made… [photo via flickr]
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (4 tablespoons lemon juice from concentrate)
- 18 teaspoon ground white pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon warm water
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 whole eggs
- 2 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
- 8 strips Canadian Bacon or good quality sliced baked ham
- 4 English muffins, split and lightly toasted
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
Directions
- To Make Hollandaise: Fill the bottom of a double boiler about two inches with water, making sure the water does not touch the pan on top. Bring the water to a gentle simmer and reduce the heat to medium. Whisk together egg yolks, lemon juice, white pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and water. Add this mixture to the top pan and keep whisking until a thick sauce forms. Slowly add the butter until fully incorporated. Hot water can be used in very small amounts to thin the sauce if it becomes too thick. Whisk in the salt and remove from heat.
- Brown the bacon in a medium skillet over medium-high heat and toast the English muffins. Plate your muffins and ham while the eggs are poaching. The English muffins can be buttered if desired.
- To Poach Eggs: Fill a large saucepan 3 inches with water. Bring water to a gentle simmer. Add the vinegar and return water to a simmer if necessary. Carefully crack eggs, two to three at a time, into the water. Cook the eggs for 2 1/2 to 3 minutes. Remove eggs from water with a slotted spoon. Yolks should still be soft and the whites fully cooked when removed.
- Plate one egg onto each muffin half. Drizzle with Hollandaise and serve. Garnish with paprika and chopped chives if desired.
And here are some kid-friendly variations on the recipe…
- Use hickory-smoked bacon and stir in a small amount of chipotle mayonnaise with the Hollandaise. Replace the English muffins with buttermilk biscuits. This will give it a good southwest bite. You can always adjust the spice for younger palates.
- Give your Eggs Benedict a Mediterranean flair by using toasted fresh Ciabatta bread and thinly sliced Prosciutto. (Don’t brown the Prosciutto–it’l get tough and chewy.)
- If the kids don’t like their yolks runny, leave the eggs in for four full minutes. The yolks will be soft but will not ooze.
