eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict

Ingredients: ½ English breakfast muffin 1egg 1 slice of soccer ball ham.

1t butter (for muffin) Dash of vinegar Five leaves of spinach

Equipment needed: Digital camera Tripod Backdrop Props

Hollandaise Sauce: 30g butter at room temperature 15ml cream 1 egg yolk (slightly beaten) 2t lemon juice 1/4t dry mustard 1/8 t salt Sprinkling of cayenne pepper Method: To prepare sauce: 1. Place a heatproof glass bowl over a medium saucepan that is quarter filled with water. The bowl should not touch the water.

2. Remove the bowl, put the saucepan lid on and bring the water to the boil over a high heat. Uncover and reduce heat to very low so the water is barely simmering (there should be very little movement at all.) It is important that the water is barely simmering while making the sauce, if it is too hot, the egg yolks will cook too much and the sauce will curdle.

3. Place the egg yolk in the glass bowl and place over the pan. Use a wire balloon whisk to whisk the mixture constantly for 1 minute.

4. Add the butter, 1 small cube at a time, whisking constantly and adding another cube when the previous one is incorporated completely. (It should take about 10 minutes in total to add it all.) Don’t cook the sauce for too long or it may curdle.

5. The sauce will begin to thin when you start adding the butter. However, once the emulsion is established, after about the third cube, it will begin to thicken again. If it begins to separate or curdle it can be saved as long as it isn’t too grainy and the eggs haven’t set (see saving the sauce).

Gradually add the cream, whisking constantly.

6. Remove the bowl from the pan and place on a heatproof surface. The cooked sauce should have the consistency of very lightly whisked thickened cream. Whisk in the lemon juice, dry mustard and salt.

1. Poach egg in the following way: 2. Place a small saucepan on the heat, filled with about 5cm water. Add a dash of white vinegar to the water.

3. When the water is almost simmering whisk the water in a whirlpool motion (it helps the egg stay together), crack the egg onto a ladle and lower into the water.

4. Cook for around 2 ½-3 minutes, and remove from water to check runniness of yolk with finger.

5. Toast English muffin and top with ham.

6. Place egg on top.

7. Top with hollandaise sauce.

8. Sprinkle with cayenne pepper.