John Pleshette's Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict

Actor, chef and Good Food guest blogger, John Pleshette shares with us his meal of the week.  This time, it's Eggs Benedict:

"I made this again last weekend for my sisters who were in town to see Mammals and substituted thick slices of toasted cheese bread (Alpine loaf) from the Bread Bar.  Try it.  You'll like it!"

Serves 2-4

2 Thomas’ English muffins
white vinegar
8 paper-thin slices of proscuito (about 1/4 pound)
1 stick of butter
2 whole eggs (4 if you’re really hungry)
2 egg yolks
1 lemon
fresh chives or chervil

Melt 3/4 stick of butter in a small saucepan.  Pour into a measuring cup.  Allow to stand until the white butterfat rises to the surface.  Skim it off.  reserve clarified butter in a warm place.

Split the English muffins using a dinner fork.  

Bring a saucepan of water to a simmer on top of the stove.  Add 2 Tbsp of white vinegar.

Separate eggs.  Beat the yolks in the top of a double boiler off the heat.  Season with salt and white pepper.  Whisk in a few Tbsp of lemon juice.  Dot with 1/4 stick of cold butter.  

Fill the bottom of the double boiler with an inch or two of water.  Bring to a simmer.  

Toast the English muffins under the broiler or in a toaster oven set to “top brown”.  Brown the bottoms first.  Turn over.  Butter and lightly brown top-side up.  

Place the muffins on two warm plates.  Arrange proscuito on top of the muffins.  

Fill the sink with cold water.  

Set the egg yolk mixture in the double boiler and whisk until it attains a custard-like consistency.  Remove frequently from the heat and test the bottom with your hand to make sure it doesn’t get so hot that the eggs scramble and curdle the hollandaise.  To cool down, dip the bottom in sink full of cold water.  

When the hollandaise is thick enough, remove from the heat.  Whisk in the clarified butter in a thin stream, slowly at first.  As the butter is emulsified and the sauce thickens, you can add more butter, stopping at the milky residue on the bottom.  Taste for seasoning.  Add more salt or lemon juice if you wish.

Break the whole eggs into a cup one at a time and slip into the simmering water.  poach for about three minutes.  The whites should be set.  The yolks, runny.  

Remove poached eggs with a slotted spoon and place on top of the English muffins.  

Nap generously with hollandaise.  Garnish with chives or chervil.

CellarWise Wine Pairing

The traditional choice for this elegant breakfast is champagne, but champagne is expensive.  I prefer the clay-like minerality of Cavas, which are made in Spain using the methode champenoise, but are sold widely at a fraction of the price.  Rose Cavas  are more robust in flavor and several nationally-distributed brands, like Freixenet, Cristalino, Codorniu, and Segura Viudas are now producing excellent Cavas.  Explore your local wine store for lesser-known brands and tell me what you find.