Breakfast time is the best meal of the day as far as I’m concerned!
The origin of the eggs benedict seemed to have come from a New York stock broker in 1894 named Lemuel Benedict. He came into the Waldorf Hotel with a hangover looking for an antidote and this great recipe grew from there.
Traditionally, this dish starts with a toasted English muffin (split in half) which is then topped with a thick slice of Canadian bacon (or ham), a poached egg, and a generous portion of hollandaise sauce. To add my own twist, I opted to switch out the bacon/ham for smoked salmon. With my version of Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict – believe me – you won’t miss the pork. Since smoked salmon tends to be saltier, because it is cured or brined, then smoked, it’s the perfect alternative.
The most difficult part is preparing the poached eggs (but only once you get the hang of it). It does takes a little patience but once you get the technique down it will become a reoccurring breakfast item at home. My tips for making poached eggs: 1) use a pan instead of a pot; the more shallow the pan the easier you’ll be able to slide the eggs in 2) don’t crack the eggs directly into the water; crack then in a small bowl instead and placing the bowl as close to the water as possible, slide the eggs into the water one at a time.
The hollandaise sauce is like the glue that brings everything together and will have you feeling like a real chef when you’re done. Looking for a brunch upgrade, give this breakfast idea a try.
Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise
Print ThisIngredients
- 4 English Muffins
- 12 oz. Smoked Salmon
- 6 Large Organic Eggs
- 1 tbsp White Wine Vinegar
- For the Hollandaise sauce:
- 2 Large Brown Eggs
- 1/4 cup Melted Butter
- 1 tbsp. Lemon Juice
- 1/4 tsp. Red Cayenne Pepper
- Dash Black Pepper
- Dash Sea Salt
Instructions
For the Hollandaise Sauce:
- Add a small amount of water to a small cooking pot and turn on low heat.
- In a medium bowl, add egg yoke only (separate the yolk from the white), lemon juice, red pepper, sea salt, black pepper, and whisk until blended.
- Continue whisking the egg yoke and lemon combination and begin to slowly add the melted butter into the bowl while holding bowl over low heated pot. Whisk until the ingredients begin to thicken and are blended very well. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the Eggs Benedict:
- Cut the English muffins in halves and toast them (as desired).
- Top the English muffins with smoked salmon pieces.
- For the poached eggs, add 3 inches of water into a cooking pot and bring to a boil. Lower heat to simmer.
- One at a time, add cracked egg to a small bowl then add the egg to the pot for 5 to 6 minutes. Repeat for remaining eggs. Remove with a spoon and set on top of smoked salmon.
- Top off with Hollandaise sauce. Serve hot.
1 comment
Sunday brunch!