Eggs Benedict Ingredients: Slice of sour dough 1 egg 1 slice of ham 2 cherry tomatoes 3 spinach leaves 3 strips of salmon pinch of salt dash of vinegar Hollandaise Sauce: 30g butter at room temp 15ml cream 1 egg yolk 1/4 t dry mustard 1/8t salt
Method: To prepare sauce: 1. Place a heatproof metal bowl over a medium saucepan that is quarter filled with water. The bowl should not touch the water. 2. Bring the water to the boil over a high heat. Remove bowl 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 metal 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 and remove bowl from heat when needed as 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.
Saving the sauce: If the sauce begins to curdle or separate, remove the bowl from the pan immediately. Place the bowl over a larger bowl filled with cold water and ice cubes to halt the cooking process. Continue to whisk, to cool the sauce and bring it back together. If this doesn’t work, place 1t lemon juice in a medium glass bowl and add tablespoons of the curdled sauce. Whisk until the mixture combines and thickens and the emulsion is reformed, then whisk in the remaining sauce a little at a time.
To poach and assemble Eggs Benedict: 1. Place a small saucepan on the heat, filled with about 5cm water. Add a dash of white vinegar and a pinch of salt to the water. 2. 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. 3. Cook for around 2 ½-3 minutes, and remove from water to check runniness of yolk with finger. 4. Toast sour dough and top with ham. 5. Place egg on top with spinach leaves and copped cherry tomatoes 6. Add salmon, spinach and cherry tomatoes where desired 7. Top with hollandaise sauce. 8. Serve hot. 9. Photograph.
Food styling analysis: Food:
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The contrast between the black plate and the food keeps the main focus on the dish and the fresh food
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The runny egg yolk implies it is fresh and still warm, this adds to its visual appeal
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The hollandaise sauce drizzled on the egg allows you to still see the egg and the other components, and also not have the dish drowned in sauce, ruining the flavour
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The food is aligned and has its own spot, so it is neat and has meaning Garnishes:
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The tomato and spinach adds colour to the dish and make it more visually appealing
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The garnishes don’t take away or distract you from the main dish, they complement it
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The dish reminds you of breakfast or brunch as it has fresh cherry tomatoes, salmon and spinach, with an oozing poached egg Props:
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The white table cloth keeps the focus on the dish and doesn’t draw away from it, and keeps it simple looking and clutter free
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The black plate contrasts the white background and makes the food stand out and the focal point of the picture
Lighting/photography:
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The image is bright and clear, so the dish is easy to see and visually appealing The image isn’t take from directly above, but on a bit of an angle, this allows you to see the egg yolk dripping down