E is for .. eggs benedict x florentine – poached eggs benedict with spinach and bacon

Theres no way I could have done E without the humble, little egg.

I was gifted some beautiful home-laid eggs from my dear friends Nick and Anastasia, in return I will be conjuring up some all natural gripe water for their newest little babe. I love it when friends swap services, produce and homemade things.

Eggs benedict, more modernly known as ”Eggs Benny”, traditionally, is poached eggs on toasted English muffins, with sliced ham and the oh-so-luscious hollandaise sauce. Eggs florentine rather replaces the ham for spinach, a vegetarian alternative, but just as delicious. In true Australian fashion, you gotta mix it up – you can’t have eggs without bacon, and I believe that hollandaise and spinach is a match made in heaven.

For some people, the thought of making hollandaise is frightening and too time-consuming. Personally, I like making hollandaise. After making it every day, two times a day, for nearly every day of my apprenticeship I like to think I make a pretty good hollandaise, and my boys agree too. Hollandaise is a ‘Mother Sauce’ – she can be turned into a variety of sauces for other dishes; some of my favourites being Bearnaise as an addition to steak, Bavaroise for roast beef and Noisette on top of blanched asparagus. When you get hollandaise right, it’s pretty boss. The thing to remember is not to rush her.. patience is key, and movement.

Eggs Benedict x Florentine – poached eggs benedict with spinach and bacon

Ingredients
– 2 egg yolks
– 2 whole eggs
– 125g of unsalted butter, melted in the microwave until the milk solids and fat have seperated – DO NOT MIX, allow them to settle!
– 2 tablespoons of white wine vinegar
– ground white pepper
– cracked black pepper
– smoked paprika
– 1 small bag of baby spinach
– bacon
– english muffin

1. Chuck the smallest pot you have on the stove with about and inch, inch and a half of water. Bring to the boil.
2. Grab a bowl that sits nicely on top of your pot. The water shouldn’t touch the bottom of the bowl, only steam. Remove the bowl, and to it, add your egg yolks, 1 tablespoon of your white wine vinegar, a tablespoon of water, and a pinch of black pepper.
3. Whisk them all together, and place the bowl over your pot of boiling water.
4. Now whisk… whisk until the egg yolks start to loosen, and gradually change colour to a beautiful light colour, and thick like mayonnaise. It’s important to keep the mixture moving and not laying dormant on the sides of the bowl because it will cook your eggs and you will end up with lumps which isn’t very palatable. Turn the heat right down to a simmer.
5. Now, tablespoon by tablespoon, whisking in-between, add your melted butter fat (not the white milk solids at the bottom, just the clarified part that is on top). If the sauce is too thick add a tablespoon of water, or more vinegar to taste. Do this until you have reached your desired consistency. Season with salt and put to the side, stirring often to ensure the sauce doesn’t develop a skin.
6. Wilt down your spinach and set aside, also cook your bacon and keep warm.
7. In that small pot, add a little more water if necessary, and a splash of vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer, then GENTLY slide cracked eggs in the water to poach. Allow the natural movement from the bubbles of the simmering action to envelop around the egg, rolling it into a roundish shape.
8. After about 4minutes slice your muffins and pop into the toaster. Cook until toasty ? 😛
9. Remove the eggs when they are ready enough for you, drain and set aside ready for assembly.
10. Muffin – Spinach – Eggs – Hollandaise – Paprika – Cracked Black Pepper + Bacon on the side — Viola! Sexy cafe brekky at home ❤