Brunch at Home | Eggs Benedict

Brunch! I love brunch. Probably because I love eggs and breakfast drinks (here & here). The only things I don’t love about brunch are waiting for a table and changing out of PJs into real clothes. If you simply can’t bear to get dressed (I’ve been there), let's have a restaurant worthy brunch at home!

A basic eggs benedict comes together really quickly. Almost stressfully quickly. It’s nice to have a partner to help with one part while you do the other, but not necessary. Toasted muffins can be done first and set aside, and the lightly seared ham doesn’t have to be mega hot. Slightly more sensitive are the poached eggs, you don’t want them cold. And of course, the diva star of the show- Hollandaise.

I used this recipe (on Tori Avey) for the hollandaise (only used 1 tbsp. lemon juice) and it turned out fantastic. Use that one and follow her directions. I am going to copy the recipe here for ease of use, but please jump over there and read through her process and tips before diving in.

HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

3 egg yolks

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 cup unsalted butter

1 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Pinch of cayenne pepper

I cover how to poach eggs in the microwave in an earlier post, Eggs Three Ways. Each poached egg takes me ~1:33 minutes and 99% percent of the time they come out perfect. I highly recommend this method!

Small aside: I loathe how small the holes are in the lid of my food processor. I understand they are for slowly dripping ingredients into the mixture. I get it. I literally never use it though because it’s too small and I’m too impatient. I don’t make mayonnaise that way (I make it this way) and I can’t think of another reason to drip something into a mixer. So I asked Nate to widen one side. Worked like a charm. I highlighted the difference in size in the below photo. Now I can add something in a small stream, like hot foamy butter!

This is the order of operations I used, and everything came together really well. It was hot and fresh without too much running around in panic! Since that is the last thing we want for our relaxed jammy-clad brunch.

1. Separate eggs, ready for hollandaise

2. Heat pans for butter and ham

3. Start roasting ham

4. Toast muffins

5. Melt butter

6. Boil water for eggs

7. Plate muffins

8. Plate ham

9. Poach eggs, and plate

10. Make hollandaise

11. Top eggs with hollandaise, garnish.

Eggs separated, cayenne and salt added.

Everything except the butter waiting in the food processor.

Ham searing on the stove.

Butter melted and reaching the foamy point!

I usually heat water to poach the eggs in my electric kettle. If you don’t have one, just microwave the water till boiling first.

Muffins toasted and plated, seared ham plated and ready for the eggs!

Make your eggs one after another and plate them as you go. This is where the kettle (or even a few cups of boiling water set aside) can really come in handy for speed.

I don't have pictures of slowly pouring hot butter into the food processor (that takes two hands), but look how well it works! It is super fast. Once the hollandaise is mixed up, spoon it onto your eggs and enjoy. 

A little greenery looks really nice with this and helps break up the richness of everything else!

For once something that takes as long to make as to eat.