Tags
Bacon, Black Pepper, Breakfast, Brunch, Cape Town, Chefs, cooking, Country Living, Egg yolk, eggs, Eggs Benedict, Entertainment, Food and Wine, Food Blogs, Gourmet, Hollandaise sauce, Muffin (English), Poached egg, recipe, S.A. Food Blogs, Salt, Vinegar
Trying to find really fresh eggs is becoming as scarce as hens’ teeth. The eggs on offer are usually more than a week old, the whites runny and the yolk flattened. A fresh egg should have a rounded plump yolk, the white should have a thick gelatinous layer that clings all-round the yolk, followed by a thinner outer layer. After one week the yolk is flatter and the two separate textures of white are not quite so visible.
I am yet to be satisfied with the disappointing supply of eggs which the local supermarkets are selling; they are old and miserable in every way, literally falling apart as you crack the egg open. There is absolutely no visible difference between the two white textures in fact the whites are runny, barely able to hold the now very flat yolk, in most cases actually falling away from the egg yolk.
It is impossible to poach stale eggs, so when these gorgeously fresh beauties arrived from a good organic, free ranging happy chicken source, I could not resist and made this treat of deliciously oozing poached eggs on toast with a fancy name.
Eggs Benedict served with Bacon on Toasted Muffin
Serves 1
Ingredients
For the sauce
30 ml white wine vinegar
1 bay leaf
75 g butter
1 extra large egg yolk
1 tsp. lemon juice
Salt
Other ingredients
1-2 eggs
2 rashers of back bacon
1 English muffin split in half
Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
In a small pan simmer the vinegar with the Bay leaf until the vinegar is reduced by half, remove the bay leaf and leave the vinegar to cool. Melt the butter but do not boil, and leave to cool to blood heat.
A hand held blender is best for such a small quantity; place the egg yolk, lemon juice and a pinch of salt in a suitable bowl and blend until frothy, pour in the butter in a steady stream alternating with the vinegar until both are incorporated, and a thick creamy sauce has formed. Adjust the seasoning.
Grill the bacon, soft poach the eggs in a pan of simmering water, and toast the muffin.
To assemble
Place the bacon onto the toasted muffin, top with the well-drained poached egg and drizzle with some Hollandaise sauce, season with salt and pepper.
Enjoy the moment, I did.
Clifton Kitchen - Cooking Through The Seasons 