Eggs Benedict Sort Of For 2 Recipes

CLASSIC EGGS BENEDICT

Steps:

• Make the hollandaise sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until no longer foamy (but not browned), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the clear butter to a liquid measuring cup, leaving the milk solids on the bottom of the pan; discard the solids.
• Heat 1 inch of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not simmering. Combine the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon water and 2 teaspoons lemon juice in a medium stainless-steel bowl. Set the bowl on the saucepan (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking constantly, until the egg mixture is pale yellow and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Check periodically to make sure the water isn't boiling or the egg yolks might overcook.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan; slowly pour in the melted butter, a drop at a time at first, whisking constantly until thick. Whisk in the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, the cayenne and ¼ teaspoon salt. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in some warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen. Return the bowl to the saucepan of water with the heat turned off to keep warm; whisk occasionally.
• Make the Eggs Benedict: Fill a large wide pot with 3 inches of water. Heat over medium-high heat until steaming with small bubbles; reduce the heat as needed to maintain a bare simmer. Stir in the vinegar. Crack 4 eggs into individual small bowls or ramekins. Carefully tip the eggs into the water, spacing them as far apart as possible. Cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 3 to 3½ minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen towel. Gently blot the eggs dry and trim off any wispy pieces. Repeat with the remaining 4 eggs.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until lightly browned and warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Meanwhile, toast the English muffins and spread with butter.
• Top each English muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon and a poached egg. Thin the hollandaise sauce with more warm water, if necessary, and season with salt. Spoon over the poached eggs and sprinkle with chopped chives.

EGGS BENEDICT FOR 2

Steps:

• FOR THE EGGS BENEDICT: Broil muffins until lightly browned. Top each muffin half with a poached egg, and cover with hollandaise sauce. Yield: 2 servings.
• FOR THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE: Beat egg yolks in top of DOUBLE BOILER; gradually add lemon juice to egg yolks, stirring constantly. Add about ONE-THIRD of butter to egg mixture; cook over hot (not boiling) water, stirring constantly, until butter melts.
• Add another third of butter, stirring constantly; as sauce thickens, stir in remaining butter. Stir in salt and cayenne; cook until thickened. Yield: about 1/2 cup.
• Southern Living.

EGGS BENEDICT (SORT OF) FOR 2

Steps:

• Grease 2 - 8 oz. ramekins; set aside.
• Cube toasted English muffins and place one in each ramekin to fill half way.
• Sprinkle muffins with a large pinch of cheese.
• Place a slice of Canadian bacon on next and top with more cheese.
• Beat eggs slightly; add milk and seasoning to taste.
• Divide among ramekins.
• Cover and place in refrigerator overnight.
• Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.
• Spoon Creamy Hollandaise Sauce on top and sprinkle with paprika before serving.

INSIDE-OUT EGGS BENEDICT

Steps:

• Set oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler.
• Spread 1 tablespoon butter over bread slices. Place buttered side-down in a grill pan; cook until crispy, about 3 minutes. Place 2 bread slices grilled side-down on a baking sheet.
• Combine the remaining 3 tablespoons butter, parsley, Parmesan cheese, mustard, garlic, and pepper in a bowl. Spread over bread on the baking sheet.
• Broil in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 4 minutes.
• Place bacon in a large skillet and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain bacon slices on paper towels.
• Place eggs in the same skillet; cook over medium-high heat until whites are set on the bottom, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip over to cook the other side until whites are completely set, about 1 minute more. Layer bacon and eggs over the broiled bread and top with the 2 grilled slices.

EGGS BENEDICT CUPS FOR TWO

Steps:

• Coat two 8-oz. ramekins or custard cups with cooking spray; line each with a slice of bread. Layer with cheese, onion, Canadian bacon, garlic powder and basil. Pour eggs into cups. , Place on a baking sheet. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°., In a small saucepan, melt butter. Whisk in sauce mix; gradually stir in water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1 minute or until thickened. Gently remove bread cups to serving plates; serve with hollandaise sauce and parsley.

CLASSIC EGGS BENEDICT AND VARIATIONS

Steps:

• Sear the Canadian bacon in an 8-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat for about 1 minute per side.
• Split and toast the English muffin.
• Poach the eggs as directed on page 75.
• Arrange the muffin halves on a plate. Top each half with the bacon and then the poached eggs. Pour hollandaise sauce over the top and serve immediately.
• Trim and wash (several times) one bunch of spinach. Steam the spinach, squeeze it dry in a clean kitchen towel, and coarsely chop it with a sharp knife into 1/4-inch pieces. Before serving, sauté the spinach in 1 tablespoon unsalted butter. Add a little diced onion or garlic, if you like. Season the spinach with salt and pepper and substitute the spinach for the Canadian bacon.
• Substitute thin slices of smoked salmon for the Canadian bacon. Don't cook the smoked salmon as this will ruin its creamy texture and make it more like cooked salmon. For an additional variation, try Smoked Salmon Florentine by adding spinach (see above). The bright orange salmon is beautiful with the green spinach, the white egg, and the pale yellow hollandaise. Make sure the hollandaise isn't steaming hot when you pour it over the salmon or it will cook the salmon.
• Slice a firm green tomato into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Soak the slices for 5 minutes in buttermilk. Dredge the slices in yellow or white cornmeal seasoned with salt and pepper. To fry the tomatoes, put 1/2 cup vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet and allow the oil to get good and hot (375°F), but not smoking. Fry the tomatoes on both sides for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until golden brown. Remove them from the pan and pat dry with paper towels. To place the poached eggs on the tomatoes, make an indentation in the tomatoes with a spoon for the eggs to sit in or they may roll off to the side.
• Similar variations are to substitute the fried green tomatoes for the Canadian bacon, to serve the fried green tomatoes in addition to the Canadian bacon, or to serve Fried Green Tomatoes Benedict with slab bacon.
• For a nice southern touch, substitute Bubby's Variation on Mr. Beard's Cream Biscuits (page 54), sliced in half, for the English muffins. Or, instead of hollandaise sauce, try Sausage Gravy (page 186).
• First make the Béarnaise Sauce (page 287). For the tenderloin, cut 1/2-inch-thick slices of raw beef tenderloin and season well with salt and pepper (we use very good sea salt, which makes all the difference). Heat a cast-iron skillet to smoking hot and add a very small amount of vegetable oil. Very quickly sear the tenderloin pieces, keeping them very rare. For medium rare, sear for 45 to 60 seconds on each side. Use the seared tenderloin in place of Canadian bacon and top with the béarnaise sauce.
• Substitute one-half fillet smoked trout, warmed for 1 minute in a toaster oven or broiler, for the Canadian bacon. Top with Béarnaise Sauce (page 287) instead of hollandaise.