Organic Eggs Benedict is a Father's Day delight.
Kelly Rossiter
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When I asked my husband what he would like for his Father's Day breakfast, he unhesitatingly said Eggs Benedict. I always figure that there are a couple of days year when you can eat whatever fat and cholesterol you like, birthdays, Mother's Day and Father's Day being but a few. But that doesn't mean you should jettison your ethical eating concerns along with you dietary ones. I decided I would make him an Eco-Benedict and go with all organic ingredients.
I did an earlier post on the ability to track the organic eggs that you have purchased back to both the producer and the grader. I used eggs that are verified to come from hens that are fed only organic grains that are produced without herbicides or pesticides, fungicides or chemical fertilizers. They also "...observe all Bird Welfare aspects of the Recommended Code of Practice." I typed in the code stamped on my egg in the EggsacTrace and found out exactly which farm it came from and who graded it.
I got the bacon from Rowe Farms, which doesn't use any growth hormones or antibiotics. The animals have open access to food and water and are fed only vegetarian diets. This is a farming cooperative of producers in Southern Ontario and they all follow the same farming philosophy.
The final component to this breakfast is the English muffin. I decided that rather than buy the cardboard-like muffins they have at the grocery, I would bake my own.
The trick to this breakfast is timing. The individual aspects aren't hard, but having everything hot and ready at the right moment takes a bit of planning. I made the English muffins first, then I put the bacon on and then I made the Hollandaise sauce and kept it warm by placing the container it was in into a bowl of warm water. Then I poached the egg and when it was cooked I assembled. It was quite pretty and my husband was absolutely delighted with his early Father's Day blowout breakfast.
Hollandaise Sauce 8 tbsp butter
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp salt
Pinch of dry mustard or cayenne
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice, or more to taste
1. Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat or in a microwave, do not let it brown.
2. Combine all the other ingredients in a blender and turn on the machine. Drizzle in the butter. The mixture will thicken. Taste and add more lemon juice or other seasonings if necessary. Transfer to a container and serve or keep warm by placing the hollandaise in a bowl and nesting the bowl in a bowl filled with hot watter, stirring occasionally, for up to 30 minutes.
To poach the egg, put about one inch of water, 1 tsp of white vinegar and 1/2 tsp of salt in a pot and bring it to a boil. Turn the water down to a bare simmer. Put an egg into a shallow bowl and then gently slide it into the water. If you are making more than one egg, make sure you have a pot large enough to cook the eggs without crowding. Cook for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on how firm you like the yolk.
I had just made the muffins, so I didn't toast them, that's up to you. To assemble the Eco-Benedict, place two or three slices of bacon onto the muffins. Carefully remove the egg from the pot with a slotted spoon and place on top of the bacon. Spoon as much Hollandaise over the egg as your arteries can stand. Garnish with a shake of cayenne.
In my next post, I'll explain how to make the English muffins.
Difficulty Level: Moderate
Adapted from How to Cook Everything by
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