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Eggs Benedict: A Noble Dish Fit for a King from America

Eggs Benedict has been a staple on breakfast and brunch menus for over 160 years. A dish that was once eaten by the upper class can now be enjoyed by everyone.

February 10, 2021
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Eggs BenedictPhoto By Canva
Difficulty Medium
Servings 4 people
Preparation 5 mins
Cooking 20 mins
Total 25 mins

Eggs Benedict Recipe Video

Ingredients

Directions

  1. Heat a large skillet on medium low heat. Add the strips of bacon or the slices of Canadian bacon. Slowly fry, turning occasionally, until the bacon is browned on both sides.
  2. Use tongs or a fork to remove the bacon from the pan, set on a paper towel to absorb the excess fat.
  3. While the bacon is cooking, fill a large sauce pot 2/3 the way up with water and bring to boil, then add the vinegar. Bring the water to a boil again, then lower the heat to a bare simmer.
  4. Going one egg at a time, crack them into a bowl and gently slide them into the simmering water. Once the egg starts to solidify, add another. Remembering which egg was first.
  5. Turn off the heat, cover the pan, and let sit for 4 minutes. Beginning with the first egg, gently lift out with a slotted spoon.
  6. As soon as all the eggs are in the poaching water, begin toasting your English muffins. If you can’t get all the muffins toasted by the time the eggs are ready, gently remove the eggs from the poaching water and set in a bowl.
  7. To assemble, butter one side of an English muffin. Top with two slices of bacon or 1 slice of Canadian bacon. You can trim the bacon to fit the muffin if you would like.
  8. Put a poached egg on top of the bacon, then pour some hollandaise (scroll down for hollandaise sauce recipe) over. Sprinkle some parsley over it all and serve at once.

Hollandaise Sauce Recipe

Hollandaise Sauce

Hollandaise Sauce Ingredients

Hollandaise Sauce Directions

  • Melt 10 tablespoons of unsalted butter.
  • Put 3 egg yolks, a tablespoon of lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon salt in a blender, blend on medium to medium high speed for 20-30 seconds, until eggs lighten in color.
  • Turn blender down to lowest setting, slowly dribble in the hot melted butter, while continuing to blend. Taste for salt and acidity and add more salt or lemon juice to taste.
  • Transfer it to a container you can use for pouring and set it on a warm place on or near the stovetop.
  • Nutrition Facts
    Serving Size 1 Eggs Benedict
    Serves 4
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories529
    % Daily Value*
    Cholesterol 418 mg139.3%
    Sodium 1125 mg48.9%
    Potassium 236 mg5%
    Protein 17.5 g35%
    Total Fat 45 g57.7%
    *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

    Tips

    • Be sure to use the blender when making the hollandaise sauce. You will wear out your arm by whisking the ingredients.
    • Be sure that the poaching water is a light simmer, meaning barely any bubbles. You should be able to stick your finger in the water for a few seconds.
    • Be careful when removing the eggs from the poaching liquid as it can be cloudy from the egg.
    • Be sure to separate the eggs well for the sauce as it will affect the outcome of the sauce.
    • Add in the hot butter slowly. This will temper the eggs so that will not turn into scrambled eggs.
    • Be sure to keep hollandaise warm as it will thicken the cooler it gets.
    • When removing eggs from liquid, make sure the outside is done cooking. If it does not look fully cooked. Put it back in for a minute or two.
    Rate This Recipe

    Eggs Benedict is quite possibly one of the most popular brunch and breakfast items on any menu. It is also a staple in many culinary schools as it contains several things that are culinary basics such as hollandaise sauce and poached eggs.

    With this recipe you will be able to do what many chefs pay thousands of dollars to learn, in the comfort of your own kitchen. Not only that, but you will be making a dish that will make your family feel like royalty.

    What's the difference between eggs Benedict and eggs Florentine?

    This is yet another one of those widely debated topics in the world of food. Virtually the overall makeup of these is identical. They both have an English muffin, bacon or Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and a sauce on top. With that being said, there are actually two distinct differences between these two and they all have to do with eggs Florentine.

    First of all, eggs Florentine tends to have spinach as one of the layers, having to do with one of the Queens of France being born in Florence and making spinach popular. The other difference is that the sauce that tops an eggs Florentine is typically a mornay sauce, which is a cheese sauce instead of hollandaise.

    Why is Eggs Benedict called Eggs Benedict?

    There are several stories as to why an eggs Benedict is called an eggs Benedict. Most seem to believe that it was conceived in the kitchen of Delmonico’s in New York around 1860. Legend has it that Mr. and Mrs. LeGrand Benedict were frequent guests there and wanted something different, so the chef came up with the dish we know of today. Another myth is that since you use Canadian bacon on an English muffin that it is traitorous like the infamous Benedict Arnold.

    What is Eggs Benedict made of?

    Eggs Benedict are made up of two halves of an English muffin, Canadian bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. It has been a staple American dish for over 160 years after its conception in Delmonico’s in New York.

    What goes good with eggs Benedict?

    pan fried potatoesPhoto By Canva

    Since eggs Benedict is a heavy, fatty dish some like to have a side salad with or roasted veggies. Of course, there are some that like roasted or pan-fried potatoes or grits.

    It is all a matter of personal preference even though most tend to stay away from a side of toast or sausage as there is plenty of that in the eggs Benedict already.

    Recipe byPetite Gourmets

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