4 Servings
ELEMENTS:
For the Eggs Benedict:
A couple teaspoons of WHITE or RICE VINEGAR
Eight LARGE EGGS
Eight slices of CANADIAN BACON
Four ENGLISH MUFFINS, split in half (Milk is a common ingredient in English muffins, so be sure to choose one that does not contain dairy. Fiber One brand is what I used here.)
Chopped PARSLEY for garnish
APPLICATION:
In a large sauté pan, fill with water halfway. Add vinegar to the water. This will help the eggs cook faster and spread in the water as much. Get some mason jar lid rings if you have them and place them in the pan/water, equally separated. This isn’t necessary but will help contain your egg. Heat the water over medium-high heat until you get a gentle simmer. (At this point, put your English muffins in the toaster and start heating the bacon in a separate pan.) Doing one egg at a time, crack the egg and very carefully lay it into the water in a ring. Disturbing the water will encourage the egg whites to spread, so try to keep as still as possible. When the egg is settled enough, repeat with other eggs. Cover the pan and turn off the heat, allowing it to cook for approx. 4 minutes. While the eggs are finishing, place the muffins on plates and place a piece of bacon on top of each. As soon as the eggs are done, use a slotted spoon to gently take the eggs out one at a time, placing each one on top of the bacon. Make sure you start with the first egg you put in– you don’t want that guy to overcook! A perfectly poached egg will be firm enough on the outside to handle gently with the spoon, but will still be runny inside.
elements for the Hollandaise:
Four EGG YOLKS
One tablespoon fresh squeezed LEMON JUICE
Half cup (1 stick) NON-DAIRY MARGARINE (such as Nucoa), melted and warm…traditional recipes call for good quality unsalted butter
One half teaspoon SALT
Pinch of GROUND CAYENNE
Pinch of BLACK PEPPER
Application:
You can either use the whisking method or the blender method. I found the blender to be easier, as it frees up my hands to work on the other items. Place the egg yolks and lemon juice into the blender. Whiz on medium until the eggs start to lighten in color. Reduce speed to low and open the lid of the blender. Gently and slowly pour in the melted butter. It should be warm enough to heat up the sauce, but not hot enough to cook the eggs. Add in salt, pinch of cayenne and pepper, and finish blending until it’s the right consistency. You can check consistency by filling a spoon with sauce and pouring it back in….you should be able to drizzle a figure 8 in the sauce before the lines disappear. Pour a generous spoonful of sauce over your poached egg, sprinkle some parlsey on top, and you’re ready to enjoy!