Eggs Benedict FOOD FACTS The origin of eggs benedict is much Serves 6 disputed, although it would appear to This is the perfect indulgent breakfast. Homemade be a 19th century breakfast dish created hollandaise sauce is much easier to prepare than in New York. Several variations exist, using ham, bacon or smoked haddock, on a you may think and beats any kind of shop-bought base of toasted English muffin, crumpet variety hands down. Use slices of really good ham or fried bread. or smoked salmon, spanking fresh poached eggs The egg is a symbol of fertility and renewal and soft English muffins – perfection! linked to both pre-Christian Spring 6 large, very fresh free-range eggs, at room temperature Festivals and Easter. Hen, quail, duck, goose and ostrich eggs are all produced 2 tbsp white wine vinegar commercially. Gull’s eggs are available on a 6 English muffins, halved restricted basis, under annual licence. Butter for spreading, at room temperature Historical facts provided by Monica Askay, 6 slices of good ham or smoked salmon Cook and Food Historian

Hollandaise Sauce 225g butter, cut into 5-6 chunks 4 tbsp white wine vinegar 1 small shallot or ½ banana shallot, peeled and very finely chopped 10 black peppercorns 1 bay leaf 3 large free-range egg yolks A pinch of sea salt flakes A pinch of caster sugar ① Cook the eggs in a pan of simmering water for only ⑤ Put the bowl of sauce to one side and whisk 2 minutes or until the white is just set and the yolk occasionally to prevent a skin forming. If it starts remains very soft. Remove each egg with a slotted to cool too much, pop the bowl back on the warm spoon as soon as it’s ready and plunge into iced water, water and heat through for a minute or so, whisking then remove the eggs and place them on kitchen towel. continuously. Toast the muffin halves and bring the This process stops the eggs cooking so you can reheat original pan of water (from instruction ①) back to a them later. Wash the pan, half fill it with water and set simmer, ready to reheat the eggs. aside until ready to warm the eggs. ⑥ Spread the muffins with butter. Put a muffin half ② To make the hollandaise sauce, melt the butter slowly on each plate and top with ham or salmon. Using in a medium pan over a low heat, stirring occasionally. a slotted spoon, drop the cooked eggs in to the Remove from the heat and pour the butter into a jug. simmering water and reheat for 1 minute. Remove Pour enough water into a clean medium pan to come and gently pat dry with kitchen towel. Place an egg a third of the way up the sides. Bring to the boil, then on each muffin and spoon over some hollandaise. reduce the heat to a simmer. Sprinkle with chives and serve with the other muffin halves on the side. ③ Put the vinegar, shallot, peppercorns and bay leaf in a small saucepan over a high heat and bring to the boil. Cook for 1-2 minutes, or until the liquid reduces to around 2 tablespoons. Keep a close eye on the pan as the liquid can reduce surprisingly quickly. Remove FOOD FACTS from the heat. Hollandaise sauce is from classical French ④ Put the egg yolks in a heatproof bowl and place over cuisine. The earliest reference appears to be the pan of simmering water. Whisk the egg yolks with from 1758. A recipe from Pierre Francois the salt and sugar until pale. Pour the vinegar mixture de la Varenne in 1651 for “Fragrant Sauce” through a fine sieve onto the yolks and continue gives a similar recipe, flavoured with whisking until well combined. Slowly add the hot nutmeg, to accompany asparagus. butter in a steady stream whisking constantly until the sauce is smooth, thick and shiny. An English muffin is round and made from soft yeast-leavened dough. It first appeared in 1747 and was at its most popular during the 19th century. Muffins, crumpets and pikelets have a confused history because their names mean different things in different places. Historical facts provided by Monica Askay, Cook and Food Historian Recipe taken from The Hairy Bikers’ 12 Days of Christmas