Every Thursday on the Good Food Blog we share a recipe from our archives.
Freelance writer-editor Josh Karpf’s analyses and obsessions with certain dishes, including eggs benedict, can be found at foody.org. He first shared this recipe for Traditional Eggs Benedict on March 29, 2003.
Keep reading for the full recipe…
Traditional Eggs Benedict
Serves 3 to 6
- 2 Tablespoons butter
- 6 slices cooked ham or Canadian bacon
- 6 poached eggs (recipe below)
- 3 English muffins, split in half with a fork
- Hollandaise sauce (recipe below)
- Chopped parsley, optional
Heat butter in a large skillet, and saut- ham or bacon, turning once. Toast English muffins. Place a piece of ham or Canadian bacon on each muffin half, and top with a poached egg. Cover each muffin half with hollandaise sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley and serve while still hot.
Quick Hollandaise Sauce
Makes 3/4 cup
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 to 2 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
- 1/4 pound butter
Heat butter in a small saucepan until bubbling, but do not let it brown. Put the egg yolks, lemon juice, and Cayenne pepper in a blender or food processor, and blend. With blender running, slowly add melted butter. Continue blending until sauce is thick and smooth, about 15 seconds. Fresh dill, tarragon, or other herbs may be added at this point, and blended for an additional few seconds.
Perfect Poached Eggs
Serves 3 to 6
- Cold water
- 2 to 3 Tablespoons white vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 large eggs at room temperature
Pour 1-1/2 inches of water into a large skillet. (A 10-by-2-1/2-inch stainless steel pan works well.) Add vinegar and salt, and bring to a boil. Crack eggs, one at a time, into a saucer or individual cups.
Gently slip eggs into water. Keep water at a simmer once all the eggs are added. Simmer 3 to 3-1/2 minutes, or until whites are set and yolks are still soft. Simmer for barely 3 minutes if you plan to hold them for later use. (See note below.)
Lift the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon, and drain on several layers of paper towels. If the eggs look a bit shaggy, you may trim the whites with a knife to form perfect circles.
Make-ahead note: Eggs may be poached a day ahead of time and held in the refrigerator until just before serving.
After eggs have been poached (see recipe above), use a slotted spoon to remove them from the pan and place them in enough cool water to cover, and then refrigerate them. When ready to serve, use a slotted spoon to carefully lift eggs into a skillet of simmering salted water and heat for about 30 to 45 seconds.
This method is especially helpful if you plan on serving poached eggs in any quantity for, say, a large brunch.