Eggs Benedict
Eggs Benedict is said to have originated in New York in the 1800s at the famous Delmonico’s Restaurant which was then under the helm of
Chef Charles Ranhofer. As the story goes, Ranhofer invented the dish because one of their regular clients, a Mrs. LeGrand Benedict got tired of everything on the menu and wanted to try something new. Ranhofer came up with a poached egg on English muffin topped with ham and hollandaise sauce. He named it Eggs Benedict after his customer and the recipe was published in Ranhofer’s cookbook 894. However, another version of its history says it was actually invented and was made famous at the Astoria Waldorf where a young chef named Lemuel Benedict supposedly invented the dish one morning when he was trying relieve a hangover, the maître d’ Oscar of the Waldorf loved the dish and had it added to the menu and it became famous. Either, whatever the true origin of this dish, one thing we can all agree on is that it remains famous and well love the world over because it is damn delicious.
It is a simple enough dish, and if you prepared it with the freshest ingredients, it is unforgettable indeed.
One thing to take note of here is that you make the hollandaise sauce with egg yolks and a lot of people sometimes worry about salmonella infection from cooking with or eating raw eggs. However, as I said, make sure to cook with the freshest eggs, and prepare your sauce well so as to avoid a “raw” hollandaise sauce. You need to cook it slowly on low fire so as to avoid curdling and ensuring a smooth and creamy sauce.
My son first started experimenting with eggs benedict for a school project, he tried several times and some of the first dishes made were yummy but not yet good enough. Sometimes the sauce was too runny or somethings the eggs weren’t poached well enough. A few more tries and he got the recipe down pat. According to him, more than the hollandaise sauce, the hardest part of this dish was learning how to poach eggs because the whites always separated from the rest of the egg. However, everything became better when he made sure to use fresh eggs. So really, the so called “secret” to poaching eggs is simply fresh eggs and lots of practice. Finally, we believe the clincher to a successful Eggs Benedict is the hollandaise sauce, if you fail the sauce then it is all for naught. So be patient with the sauce and do it right.
Overall, just don’t be intimidated with Eggs Benedict, it sounds fancy but is, in fact, a simple dish -- teenagers do this well enough and so will you. If you learn this dish, you’ll have bragging rights over your loved ones (or it may be a way to impress a new love interest or their folks) and you don’t have to spend a lot on ordering it from a high end hotel or your favorite brunch restaurant.
Chef Charles Ranhofer. As the story goes, Ranhofer invented the dish because one of their regular clients, a Mrs. LeGrand Benedict got tired of everything on the menu and wanted to try something new. Ranhofer came up with a poached egg on English muffin topped with ham and hollandaise sauce. He named it Eggs Benedict after his customer and the recipe was published in Ranhofer’s cookbook 894. However, another version of its history says it was actually invented and was made famous at the Astoria Waldorf where a young chef named Lemuel Benedict supposedly invented the dish one morning when he was trying relieve a hangover, the maître d’ Oscar of the Waldorf loved the dish and had it added to the menu and it became famous. Either, whatever the true origin of this dish, one thing we can all agree on is that it remains famous and well love the world over because it is damn delicious.
It is a simple enough dish, and if you prepared it with the freshest ingredients, it is unforgettable indeed.
One thing to take note of here is that you make the hollandaise sauce with egg yolks and a lot of people sometimes worry about salmonella infection from cooking with or eating raw eggs. However, as I said, make sure to cook with the freshest eggs, and prepare your sauce well so as to avoid a “raw” hollandaise sauce. You need to cook it slowly on low fire so as to avoid curdling and ensuring a smooth and creamy sauce.
My son first started experimenting with eggs benedict for a school project, he tried several times and some of the first dishes made were yummy but not yet good enough. Sometimes the sauce was too runny or somethings the eggs weren’t poached well enough. A few more tries and he got the recipe down pat. According to him, more than the hollandaise sauce, the hardest part of this dish was learning how to poach eggs because the whites always separated from the rest of the egg. However, everything became better when he made sure to use fresh eggs. So really, the so called “secret” to poaching eggs is simply fresh eggs and lots of practice. Finally, we believe the clincher to a successful Eggs Benedict is the hollandaise sauce, if you fail the sauce then it is all for naught. So be patient with the sauce and do it right.
Overall, just don’t be intimidated with Eggs Benedict, it sounds fancy but is, in fact, a simple dish -- teenagers do this well enough and so will you. If you learn this dish, you’ll have bragging rights over your loved ones (or it may be a way to impress a new love interest or their folks) and you don’t have to spend a lot on ordering it from a high end hotel or your favorite brunch restaurant.
Ingredients
• 2 English muffins • 4 large eggs • 4 slices Canadian bacon • Vinegar, just a splash Hollandaise sauce • 4 Tablespoons butter • 4 egg yolks • 1-2Tablespoons lime juice • 1 Tablespoon heavy whipping cream • salt and pepper (to taste) |
Instructions
• Melt the butter in a small saucepan. In a separate small bowl, beat the egg yolks. Mix in lime juice, whipping cream, and salt and pepper. • Add a small spoonful of the hot melted butter to the egg mixture and stir well. • Repeat this process adding a spoonful at a time of hot butter to the egg mixture. Adding the butter slowly, a spoonful at a time, will temper the eggs and ensure they don’t curdle. • Once the butter has been incorporated, pour the mixture back into the saucepan. Cook on low heat, stirring constantly, for just 20-30 seconds. Remove from heat and set aside. To Assemble: Toast the English muffin. Top each toasted side with a slice or two of Canadian bacon, and then a poached egg. Top with hollandaise sauce. You can garnish the top with a sprig of parsley to add color if you like. |