Eggs Benedict

Method

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1. Melt the butter until hot and foaming — it needs to be around 90°C to cook the yolks as it goes in.

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2. Blend the egg yolks, lemon juice, vinegar, salt and cayenne on high for 20 seconds until pale.

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3. With the blender running, pour the hot butter in a very thin, steady stream through the lid opening. It should take 45 to 60 seconds and the sauce will thicken visibly.

   Mark done Start 45 sec timer

4. Taste and adjust with lemon and salt, then transfer to a bowl and keep somewhere warm, not hot — a thermos works well.

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5. Bring a wide pan of water to a bare simmer, about 85°C, and add the vinegar. Never let it boil.

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6. Crack each egg into a fine sieve first, letting the loose watery white drain away — this is the secret to neat poached eggs.

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7. Slide the eggs into the water, one at a time, and poach for 3 minutes for a runny yolk. Lift out with a slotted spoon onto kitchen paper.

   Mark done Start 3 min timer

8. Toast and butter the muffin halves and warm the ham in a dry pan for a minute a side.

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9. Build each muffin with ham, a poached egg and a generous spoonful of hollandaise. Finish with chives and a pinch of cayenne.

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Chef’s Tips

• Sieving the eggs before poaching is the single trick that separates neat from ragged.
• If the hollandaise splits, blend a fresh yolk with a teaspoon of hot water and drizzle the broken sauce into it.
• Poach the eggs up to a day ahead and hold them in cold water; reheat for 45 seconds in hot water to serve.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• A dry vermouth keeps for longer than an open bottle of white wine and is the closer swap than a random white left in the fridge; for an alcohol-free version, use the same amount of stock with a squeeze of lemon.

Pairing Suggestions

• A glass of Champagne, or a Bloody Mary
• Serve with roasted tomatoes and wilted spinach
• Follow with fresh fruit

Storage & Reheating

Hollandaise does not store well — it separates when chilled and cannot be safely reheated. Make it fresh.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.