We have been going out for breakfast on Saturdays. Usually to some small, funky, Mexican kind of place. Enough of the Huevos Mexicana or Ranchero with beans. I wanted something different like Eggs Benedict. The first time I had Benedict was at some restaurant in New Orleans. How delicious, how elegant they were but they didn't seem like something I could make for breakfast. Hollandaise Sauce? Didn't it break or fall apart or something like that if you didn't make it just right? Too complicated.
Not too complicated for my friend Helen. Her introduction to making perfect hollandaise in the blender started a tradition with our group of friends. So many breakfasts flash into my mind of three or four couples being in the kitchen and turning out a breakfast of Eggs Benedict. Any occasion would do.
We were pretty traditional in our preparation of the dish, English muffin, Canadian bacon, poached egg, hollandaise sauce. But today when I went to Wikipedia to see where the recipe originated, I found that there are lots of claims to fame for being the originator of the dish. And there are many, many variations to the recipe.....and all of them seem interesting to me although I don't think my heart could take trying them all.
This reminds me of a time when the gang was going to make Eggs Benedict at Pat and Tom's. Pat was a health nut and used low fat everything and anything. The hollandaise didn't turn out. Then we looked at the "butter" wrapper. It wasn't real butter. It had a high content of water and I can tell you for sure water will not make hollandaise.
Today we went to a little more upscale place for breakfast, Hungry's Cafe and Bistro and I had Eggs Benedict. It wasn't the Eggs Benedict with friends that I remembered. Ham instead of Canadian Bacon, Ciabatta bread instead of English Muffin, eggs poached with firm yolks and Hollandaise skimpy and without a kick of lemon or heat. So I'm making sure that I remember how to make it because I'll have the family together next weekend and maybe I'll see if we can whip up Eggs Benedict for the crowd.
Here is the recipe for the hollandaise made in the blender....just in case you want to try it too.
6 Servings (I'd double this recipe for 8 people....but then I like the hollandaise)
INGREDIENTS
3 egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 dash hot pepper sauce (e.g. Tabasco™) (I prefer using some cayenne)
1/2 cup butter
DIRECTIONS
In the container of a blender, combine the egg yolks, mustard, lemon juice and hot pepper sauce. Cover, and blend for about 5 seconds.
Place the butter in a glass measuring cup. Heat butter in the microwave for about 1 minute, or until completely melted and hot. Set the blender on high speed, and pour the butter into the egg yolk mixture in a thin stream. It should thicken almost immediately. Keep the sauce warm until serving by placing the blender container in a pan of hot tap water.
About Me
- Billie Mercer
- San Miguel de Allende, Mexico
- A widow, after 56 years of marriage, I'm starting a new phase in my life and the old Billieblog just didn't seem to fit. I'll be writing about finding my way.
2011 Books I Have Read
9 comments:
If I only had a lemon. EB is my favorite breakfast. Miss it. A lot.
Steve, sometimes Costco has lemons. But not often.
My hollandaise always breaks, but maybe I just don't know how use a wire whisk properly. Next time I'll try it your way.
La Casa de la Marquesa in Querétaro has the best Eggs Benedict in the universe. They use salmon instead of Canadian bacon. And the surroundings are snazzy and peaceful.
Felipe, according to Wikipedia when you substitute smoked salmon for the Canadia bacon it is called, among other things, Eggs Royale. I'll have to order the Benedict/Royale at the Casa de Marquesa one of these days and I'll report back.
John, give this recipe a try. I've never had it fail IF real butter was used. You do need to get the butter to bubbling hot and pour in a thin stream but that always does the trick. Let me know how it turns out.
I have never understand why people get so worked up over making Hollandaise, treating its preparation right up there with brain surgery. It was one of the first things I ever learned to cook, my mother having tabbed me the designed Hollandaise maker for her artichoke. No bain marie, no blender, just a whisk and a tiny saucepan. And she always remarked that Hollandaise was the only thing I could turn out perfectly every time. But I can't stand the stuff.
oh my, excellent. thanks for this recipe. will definitely do this when we have company this weekend. And I have lemons! Hooray Costco! Love that you would get together to cook with a small group of good friends. We do the same whenever we can - what wonderful meals and memories!
Jillian, let me know how it turns out.
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