Wannabe Eggs Benedict Recipes

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Fill a large saucepan with 2 quarts water. Add the vinegar and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat.
• Meanwhile, toast the English muffins until golden brown. Spread with butter and place on one side of a baking sheet. Keep warm in the oven.
• Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until heated through, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer the bacon to the other side of the baking sheet to keep warm.
• Melt the remaining butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the yolks, lemon juice, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt and the cayenne to a blender. Blend for 1 minute. With the blender running, pour the melted butter very slowly through the open hole of the blender lid until smooth, thick and emulsified. Transfer the sauce back to the saucepan and place in the oven to keep warm.
• Crack the whole eggs into small cups or glasses. If your simmering water has reduced too much, add a bit more water and bring back to a steady simmer. When the water is at a steady simmer, slip the eggs into the water in one quick motion, arranging them clockwise in the pan so you know which will be ready first.. Poach the eggs until the whites are firm but the yolks are still runny, 4 to 5 minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel.
• Top each muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon and a poached egg. Pour hollandaise sauce over each muffin. (If the sauce has thickened too much, whisk it with a tablespoon of water.) Sprinkle each serving with a little cayenne and serve immediately.

Steps:

• Lightly fry egg on both sides, about 2-3 minutes each side, in a nonstick skillet. The yolk should be somewhat runny, or to your taste.
• Warm Canadian bacon in microwave about 5 seconds on each side.
• Toast the English muffin.
• Spread the cheese on the English muffin. Top with Canadian bacon and egg. Season with salt, if desired.

Steps:

• Make the hollandaise sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until no longer foamy (but not browned), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the clear butter to a liquid measuring cup, leaving the milk solids on the bottom of the pan; discard the solids.
• Heat 1 inch of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not simmering. Combine the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon water and 2 teaspoons lemon juice in a medium stainless-steel bowl. Set the bowl on the saucepan (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking constantly, until the egg mixture is pale yellow and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Check periodically to make sure the water isn't boiling or the egg yolks might overcook.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan; slowly pour in the melted butter, a drop at a time at first, whisking constantly until thick. Whisk in the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, the cayenne and ¼ teaspoon salt. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in some warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen. Return the bowl to the saucepan of water with the heat turned off to keep warm; whisk occasionally.
• Make the Eggs Benedict: Fill a large wide pot with 3 inches of water. Heat over medium-high heat until steaming with small bubbles; reduce the heat as needed to maintain a bare simmer. Stir in the vinegar. Crack 4 eggs into individual small bowls or ramekins. Carefully tip the eggs into the water, spacing them as far apart as possible. Cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 3 to 3½ minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen towel. Gently blot the eggs dry and trim off any wispy pieces. Repeat with the remaining 4 eggs.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until lightly browned and warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Meanwhile, toast the English muffins and spread with butter.
• Top each English muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon and a poached egg. Thin the hollandaise sauce with more warm water, if necessary, and season with salt. Spoon over the poached eggs and sprinkle with chopped chives.

Steps:

• Fill a large, wide pot halfway with water and bring to a boil. Add the vinegar and reduce the heat until the water in the pan has no more bubbles.
• Very close to the surface of the water, crack the eggs and gently drop each egg into the water. Cook the eggs for 3 to 4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the pan and place in a bowl of cold water. Reserve the eggs in the cold water and reserve the poaching liquid to reheat the eggs. Obviously, if you are poaching the eggs a day ahead you can reheat the eggs in new water!
• Coat a large saute pan lightly with olive oil and bring to a medium heat. Add the slices of Canadian bacon and cook them on both sides until they are hot but not brown.
• Toast the English muffins. Place 1 slice Canadian bacon on each English muffin.
• Warm up the egg poaching liquid (or a pan of new water if you poached ahead) and place the eggs in the water for 1 minute or until the eggs are warm but not cooking any further. Using a slotted spoon, remove the eggs from the warm water, blot on a clean paper or tea towel and place 1 egg on each English muffin. Top with the Hollandaise Sauce.
• Toss the mesclun with lemon juice, big fat finishing oil and salt. Garnish each plate with the dressed greens.
• Wine Pairing Suggestion: Prosecco
• In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. While the butter is melting, skim off the froth that accumulates on the surface. Simmer the butter for 15 to 20 minutes and gently ladle off the clear butterfat into a measuring cup or small pitcher with a spout. Be sure to leave the milk solids in the bottom of the pan. This is called clarified butter.
• In a small saute pan, combine the vinegar and peppercorns and cook over a medium heat until almost all the vinegar has evaporated. Remove the pan from the heat and toss a couple ice cubes into the pan and let them sit until they have melted.
• In a medium metal bowl, whisk the egg yolks until they become frothy and fluffy. Strain the peppercorn liquid into the egg mixture.
• Put 1-inch water into a medium saucepan and bring it to a simmer. Place the metal bowl on top of the saucepan and gently cook the eggs, whisking frequently, for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Very slowly begin to add the clarified butter. Start with 2 to 3 drops and continue with a couple more drops after the butter has incorporated.
• Continue to add a few drops of butter at a time. If the eggs seem to be cooking too quickly, pull the bowl off the saucepan and lower the heat. If the eggs start to curdle, toss in an ice cube immediately to cool down the eggs. Continue to add the butter a little at a time until it is all incorporated. The sauce should be fluffy and foamy.
• Once the butter is all combined, add the lemon juice and season the sauce with cayenne and salt.
• Serve over the poached eggs.

Steps:

• The day before, cook the grits according to package directions (usually 4 cups of water to 1 cup of grits) to taste. Allow to cool and then spread onto cookie sheet or something similar and spread out grits so they are about 1" thick. Refrigerate overnight. The idea is to make them stiff and dry them out.
• The Morning of, create the Remoulade by combining all ingredients (except grits, ham, eggs) in a bowl. Rinse and thaw shrimp before adding to Remoulade.
• Cut grits into 4 sections the size of a piece bread or an English Muffin (a large cookie cutter works perfect). Lightly flour the grits so they will brown and hold together.
• Pan fry the grit cakes in butter and oil until slightly brown.
• Cut the country ham in a similar fashion to the grits so when you put the ham on the grit "cake" it will have similar proportions.
• Poach each egg and plate with grit section on bottom followed by country ham then poached egg.
• Pour Remoulade over stack and sprinkle with paprika.

Steps:

• Make the hollandaise: Melt butter in a small pot over medium heat until it's foamy but not yet beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
• Place egg yolks and 2 teaspoons water in a blender. Start blending, and, working very slowly, add the hot, melted butter until it's all incorporated. (If it starts to get too thick to blend, add 1/2 teaspoon of water.) Add lemon juice and cayenne, though feel free to adjust the amounts to taste, and season with salt and pepper. Transfer the hollandaise to a small bowl, and place plastic wrap directly on the surface so it doesn't form a skin. Set aside. (It will keep at room temperature while you work.)
• Poach the eggs: Fill a medium pot with 3 inches of water. Add vinegar, season with salt and bring to a simmer. (Look for just a few bubbles; it should never boil.) Using the handle of a spoon or spatula, stir the water with a clockwise motion. Gently crack an egg into the center of the pot, letting the water swirl around it and allowing the white to envelop the yolk. Repeat with remaining eggs - you could probably do up to four at a time. Check the eggs after 4 minutes: Use a slotted spoon to lift an egg out of the water, and feel the white for firmness. If it's not quite done, slide it back in for another minute or so. Let cook until the whites are just set, but the yolks are still completely runny, 4 to 5 minutes. Once eggs are perfectly poached, remove from the water, and let drain on a plate lined with paper towels or a clean kitchen towel. Set eggs aside.
• Using a toaster, toaster oven or regular oven, toast the English muffins until crisp and golden brown. Don't be afraid to toast them thoroughly: They'll be covered in hollandaise and poached eggs, and will need to be sturdy.
• Cook Canadian bacon or ham (or bacon) in a medium skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown and just crisp at the edges, about 6 minutes.
• Assemble the Benedict: Place eight halves of English muffin on a plate and butter them generously. Top each with a slice of Canadian bacon, ham or bacon, then a poached egg. Spoon hollandaise sauce over and sprinkle with chives, dill, flaky sea salt and black pepper.