Eggs Benedict
Toasted English muffin halves topped with Canadian bacon or ham, a soft poached egg and silky hollandaise sauce. It is a brunch classic.
Traditional Eggs Benedict: Mark Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Where it comes from
The dish is credited to New York City in the late 1800s and became a staple of hotel and diner menus. Variations swap the ham for smoked salmon or spinach.
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Recipe
Make Eggs Benedict at home
Ingredients
- 4 large eggs
- 2 English muffins, split and toasted
- 4 slices Canadian bacon or ham
- 1 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted and warm
- Pinch of cayenne
- Salt
- Chopped chives
How it's made
- For the hollandaise, whisk yolks, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a heatproof bowl set over barely simmering water until thick and pale.
- Remove from heat and slowly drizzle in the warm butter, whisking constantly, until creamy. Add cayenne; keep warm.
- Bring a wide pan of water to a gentle simmer and add the vinegar.
- Crack each egg into a cup and slide into the water. Poach 3 minutes for a runny yolk.
- Warm the bacon in a dry pan for 1 minute per side.
- Stack muffin halves with bacon and a drained egg, then spoon over hollandaise.
- Garnish with chives and serve immediately.
Variations
- Eggs Florentine: with sauteed spinach instead of ham.
- Eggs Royale: with smoked salmon.
- Blender hollandaise: a quicker sauce made by blending.
Cook’s tip: Add the butter slowly; if the sauce splits, whisk in a teaspoon of warm water.
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About this page
Description and method written by Intercontinental Chef. Home-style method; quantities are a starting point, so adjust to taste.
Photo credit
- Traditional Eggs Benedict: Mark Miller, CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikimedia Commons)