Yup.. I have managed to make Eggs Benedict even more decadent than the traditional!
I enjoyed this sooooo much I can't wait to make it again! This recipe ticked every box for me!
I fell in love with the Eggs Benedict that the Fairmont Hotel chain has on their breakfast menu. Theirs involves smoked salmon and Hollandaise sauce.
I surprised even myself when a set of happy circumstances led me to an even more flavourful version!
It all started when I made my own Cured Salmon with Limoncello. It is so easy to do you may never spring for commercial cured or smoked salmon again! I put a bit of a twist on mine and used tarragon instead of dill for the herb component.
So... when I decided to make my own Eggs Benedict with my cured salmon my mind went to Béarnaise Sauce with its tarragon instead of the traditional Hollandaise sauce. In addition to the tarragon the wine and vinegar reduction adds a bright note to the sauce.
The next happy-stance was when I popped in to Farm Boy to pick up English muffins. Well, their bakery is a bit fancier than most. I couldn't find normal English muffins so I grabbed a pack of Croissant Buns instead. Oh happy day!!! The are richer, softer and sweeter than English muffins that can be rather dry by the time they are toasted. So...another bonus!
Another fluke... I have not always had success with the poached egg method of dropping the egg into boiling water while you whirl it to try to contain the egg white. Mine are often still feathery and a bit stringy.
So this time I used Alton Brown's recommendation to put a few inches of water in a large skillet with salt and vinegar. There are lots of avid opinions on whether or not to add salt and/or vinegar. Some experts swear that adding them will result in rubbery egg whites.
I found that it did give me a bit sturdier egg casing. I was actually able to prepare the eggs benedict, photograph it and then I returned the eggs to the hot water to re-warm them before eating them. They withstood the handling. I fully expected to end up with a broken yolk.. but .. didn't happen.
The other bonus was that I actually had a couple of bright salt and vinegar notes in a couple of bites of my egg beyond the sauce. I was more than fine with that!
Adding the salt and vinegar will also be a boon if you want to make a fairly large number of poached eggs. You can make them and gently reheat them for a minute or two just before serving.
Wine Pairing With Eggs Benedict With Béarnaise Sauce
Forgive me for not being more creative than this but it is Prosecco all the way! Or a Mimosa with any sturdy sparkling wine and orange juice.
A clean, crisp White wine such as a Gruner Veltliner, Muscadet-Sevre et Maine or a Vinho Verde would also work.
A dry Rosé with a touch of herbs, in the style of Provence would also go well.
Eggs Benedict with Béarnaise Sauce
Ingredients
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 8 slices cured salmon
- ¼ cup Béarnaise Sauce
Instructions
- Heat a few inches of water in a large skillet with coarse salt and vinegar.
- Crack each egg into a separate cup or ramekin.
- When water is boiling gently slip the egg from the cup into the water. Remove skillet from the heat and cover. Leave for 5 minutes undisturbed.
- While eggs are cooking, toast the croissant buns (you may have to trim the top to make it sit flat on your plate).
- Position 2 bun halves on a plate. Top with 2 slices of cured salmon. When eggs are cooked remove the egg gently with a slotted spoon allowing excess water to drain off. Top the cured salmon with a poached egg. Spoon Béarnaise Sauce over the egg and serve.
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