Eggs Benedict- Flavoured with Butter Style

I went through most of my life thinking that I did not like eggs.  I was essentially a freak.  I cringed when invited to people’s houses for breakfast/brunch.  I really prided myself on not being a picky eater- but I had this Achilles heel.

It turns out that I was not eating the right eggs.  I dislike chalky overcooked yolks and runny whites.  The day I discovered properly poached eggs was the day I entered egg nirvana.  There is no turning back.  I want Eggs Benedict all the time. So much so that I have decided to tackle this brunch staple at home, and discovered I like it even better my way.

No insult to Canadian back bacon (you area apparently a national treasure after all), but good old traditional bacon in all of its salty goodness actually makes a much more delicious eggs benny in my book.

The only remaining hurdle from having excellent eggs benny whenever I wanted was the dreaded Hollandaise sauce.  This sauce is essentially kryptonite to anyone not classically trained (and I’m convinced even nerve racking for those that are).  Out of what I think was sheer pride I continued trying to make Hollandaise sauce properly, on a double boiler, only to end up with curdled/ split sauce every time.  It was frustrating and frankly a waste of delicious butter.  I broke down and decided to try the ‘cheating method’.  I have not tried it another way since.  Hollandaise sauce made in a blender is easy; it involves the same ingredients; the result is the same delicious, creamy sauce with none of the anxiety.  If you can make a smoothie, you can make Hollandaise sauce.  It is that easy.

I use an immersion blender, but you can use a regular blender for this as well.  Don’t make the Hollandaise sauce too far in advance.  If you are making this for company, you can make the sauce an hour or so ahead of time and keep it warm in a beverage cooler.

Eggs Benedict (for 2)

2 English muffin, split
6 slices of bacon
4 eggs
Hollandaise Sauce recipe
salt and pepper

Cook the bacon and keep warm. Toast the english muffins and keep warm.

Put each egg in a small individual ramekin (this may seem like you are dirtying dishes for the heck of it, but it helps to ensure a perfectly poached egg!). Heat a large pot with a few inches of water and a splash of vinegar.  Bring the water to a boil. Once boiled, ease off the heat and reduce to barely a simmer.

Using a spatula or slotted spoon, make a slight ‘whirlpool’ in the pot of water by moving the spoon in in a circular direction. While moving the water, slide the egg from the ramekin into the middle of the pot. Continue with the remaining eggs. [Note: If this is your first time poaching an egg, or you are not using a large pot, you may want to only cook 2 eggs at at time.] Set a timer and cook the eggs for exactly 3 minutes. Remove immediately with your slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to absorb any remaining water.

Assemble your Eggs Benny: Place the bacon on the English muffin halves, top each with a pouched egg and pour the Hollandaise sauce overtop.  Season with salt and pepper.

Easy Blender Hollandaise Sauce

1 egg yolk
2 tsp lemon juice
kosher sauce
1 stick butter

Combine the egg yolk, lemon juice, and a pinch of salt in the bottom of a cup that barely fits the head of an immersion blender.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over high heat, swirling constantly, until foaming subsides.

Place the head of the immersion blender into the bottom of the cup and turn it on.  With the blender constantly running, slowly pour hot butter into the cup.  It should emulsify with the egg yolk and lemon juice.  Continue pouring until all of the butter is added.  The sauce should be thick and creamy.  Season to taste with salt.