As someone who enjoys cooking, and food in general, to select one food as a favourite is difficult to do. It's a good job the competition has a single entry rule otherwise I could provide many examples of things I favour.
Here I'm providing one that I thoroughly enjoy, but have less often than I would expect, Eggs Benedict.
The fundamentals as I like it are a well-toasted english muffin, a couple of slices of crispy bacon, two poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. A sprinkle of paprika on the top adds a little heat and works well with the sharpness of the hollandaise and unctuousness of the egg yolk.
As I generally enjoy this as a late brunch or lunch, and often as a holiday treat, I like to enjoy a glass of nicely chilled Chablisalongside it.
Legend has it that the dish was developed at Delmonico's in New York, USA, sometime in the 1860's, although that is challenged by claims from other quarters.
This is a deceptively simple dish to prepare, but one which is easy to lose control of. For many the Hollandaise sauce will be a balk point, especially for those not used to preparing sauces from scratch.
As with all matters cooking, the dish is easier to execute if you have access to decent kitchen facilities. A way of keeping food warm is helpful for preparation here. Using a plate over a pan of hot water is probably a good way of doing this in the average home kitchen.
If you want to try this lovely brunch staple here's the ingredients and process:
Per person:
2 fresh eggs - medium size
2 slices of bacon (see below for details)
1 English muffin
Paprika
For the Hollandaise sauce:
250ml/Half-a-cup White wine vinegar
Teaspoon lemon juice
3-5 peppercorns
2 egg yolks
120/ Quarter-a-cup chilled butter cut into half-inch cubes.
Method:
Cook bacon until crispy and set aside to keep warm. (you can cook in a pan, under a grill, or in an oven, any is fine, what you are looking for is getting it nice and crisp, but not overly dry, and not burnt).
Prepare the Hollandaise. Add the vinegar, lemon juice, and cracked peppercorns to a pan and boil until the liquid is reduced by about half. Allow this to cool from boiling, but not get cold, and put into a bain marie, or use a bowl over a pan of simmering water. Whisk in the egg yolks. It is important to keep whisking as you do not want the yolks to become set, but to remain liquid. Add in the cubes of butter a few at a time, continuing to whisk all the time. When the consistency you find appealing remove the pan from heat and keep stirring for a minute or so. This will now rest while the eggs cook.
To poach the eggs boil a pan with about 5cm/2 inches water in it and turn down to a simmer, add a teaspoon of vinegar, stir the water to form a gentle vortex, add in the de-shelled eggs. Cook for 3-3.5 minutes, or if you keep eggs in a fridge, 4-4.5 minutes. When cooked remove from water and place on something to allow water to drain, and to keep warm (a plate with some micro-fibre cloth on it, placed over the pan of warm water is ideal).
Cut muffin in half and brush open side with a little oil or melted butter. Place on a hot surface to heat through and crisp the muffin.
Place the muffin a nice clean plate, put the bacon on the muffin, place the eggs over the bacon, enrobe the eggs with Hollandaise, sprinkle paprika, and serve.
There is a joy in sitting to eat this, sliding your knife into the egg, and having the beautifully cooked yoke ooze out into the Hollandaise. I guarantee anyone you're making it for will make very appreciative noises even before they've tasted it.
Before you start making it for others, I recommend practicing a few times. Getting used to poaching the eggs perfectly with your equipment can take a couple of attempts, and there are several methods of making Hollandaise (you may notice the method I give differs from the one in the linked recipe); finding a method which works for you, and finding the flavour of Hollandaise you prefer will take a few attempts. I like a very sharp sauce, my wife prefers it milder.
With regard to obtaining English muffins, It may not be possible. You could make them yourself, or use a substitute. A nice thick slice of fresh toast can work, or maybe a local item you know of. I've used both bagels and brioche before, both worked fine.
However you choose, or have to, change up the recipe I'm sure you'll enjoy it.
*Bacon - The original recipe used Canadian bacon, which is less a bacon and more ham.
Often used in Britain is back bacon, which is from the back and loin of the pig and gives a roundel of meat with a sliver of fat around the outside.
I prefer to use US bacon, what we call streaky bacon in the UK. This is made from the belly.
The reason I prefer this bacon is the crispiness you can attain, which gives a perfect crunch to go with the softness of the egg and billowy muffin. If you can get non-smoked bacon the dish will have a gentler flavour.
text and photo by stuartcturnbull