Eggs Benedict
Credit to this Hollandaise Sauce recipe and adapted from this Eggs Benedict recipe.
- ½ pound butter
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon water
- Salt to taste, if desired
- ⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed
- lemon juice to taste
- 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar
- Kosher salt
- 4 large eggs
- 2 English muffins, split
- 8 slices prosciutto
- 2 tablespoons butter
- ¼ cup chopped chives
- Flaky sea salt
- Coarsely ground black pepper
Put the butter inside a heatproof bowl or glass measuring cup and set it in a basin of simmering water. Let it heat until the butter is melted.
Carefully spoon off the white residue on top of the clear yellow liquid in the center. Carefully pour off and reserve the yellow liquid. Discard the milky bottom portion.
Combine the egg yolks and water, beating rapidly with a wire whisk. Place the saucepan in a larger basin of simmering water, beating constantly. Gradually add the clear yellow liquid, beating constantly while heating the mixture in the simmering water. Do not overheat. Beat and heat until the sauce has the consistency of a thin mayonnaise.
Add the salt, cayenne pepper and lemon juice and blend thoroughly.
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 prosciutto in a medium skillet over medium–high heat until golden brown and just crisp at the edges, approximately 1 minute per side.
Assemble the Benedict: Place four halves of English muffin on a plate and butter them lightly. Top each with two slices of prosciutto, then a poached egg. Spoon hollandaise sauce over and sprinkle with chives, flaky sea salt and black pepper.
