Eggs Benny
Eggs Benedict—crispy toasted English muffins piled with thinly sliced ham, topped with a plump poached egg and drizzled with lemony hollandaise sauce—is the quintessential weekend brunch treat. This take on the iconic dish features prosciutto instead of ham, as well as hollandaise made in a blender, which takes less time to prepare than hollandaise made by hand.
Ingredients:
For the hollandaise:
- 4 egg yolks, at room temperature
- 1 Tbs. water, plus more as needed
- 1 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
- Small pinch of cayenne pepper
- 16 Tbs. (2 sticks) (8 oz./250 g) unsalted butter
8 eggs- 4 English muffins, split and toasted
- 8 slices prosciutto, at room temperature
- Freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
To make the hollandaise sauce, in a blender, combine the egg yolks, 1 Tbs. water, the lemon juice, salt and the cayenne. In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. With the blender running, slowly add the warm melted butter through the vent in the lid, processing until the sauce is thick and smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more water to thin it. Transfer to a bowl, cover and set aside.
Pour water to a depth of 3 inches (7.5 cm) into a large sauté pan, add a pinch of salt and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Working with 4 eggs at a time, crack each egg into a small ramekin, removing any shells and starting anew if any yolks break. Carefully ease the eggs into the water. Adjust the heat so that the water barely simmers. Poach the eggs for 3 to 5 minutes, then remove from the water with a slotted spoon. Lightly blot the eggs on a paper towel–lined plate to drain, then transfer to a dish and keep warm. Repeat to poach the remaining 4 eggs.
Place 2 English muffin halves, cut side up, on each of 4 individual plates. Lay a prosciutto slice on each muffin half. Top the prosciutto with a poached egg and spoon some warm hollandaise sauce over each egg. Grind some black pepper over the top and serve immediately. Serves 4.
Adapted from Williams-Sonoma Cook Good Food (Weldon Owen, 2014)