Anytime we go out to eat for breakfast, if Traditional Eggs Benedict is on the menu, I order it! I started making it at home long ago, and it’s just as good, especially for a special brunch!
Eggs Florentine is a little bit of a healthier twist to traditional Eggs Benedict! Instead of Canadian bacon, we rest the poached egg on a bed of cooked spinach. I also like to add a slice of tomato. It still has a delicious homemade hollandaise sauce on top.
How to make Hollandaise sauce:
Traditional eggs Benedict and eggs florentine are served with a sauce called Hollandaise sauce. Many people buy hollandaise sauce in a packet that just has you add water….I’ll never understand WHY?! It’s SO easy to make homemade hollandaise sauce and it definitely tastes better from scratch!
Hollandaise ingredients:
1. Melt butter. Melt butter in a small sauce pan.
2. Beat egg yolks. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks. Add in the lime juice, heavy cream, and salt and pepper.
3. Temper the eggs. Next you need to temper the eggs by adding a small amount of the hot butter to the egg mixture. Stir it well and repeat this process, slowly adding one spoonful of hot butter to the egg mixture. We do this to avoid curdling the eggs.
4. Return to saucepan. Finally, add the whole mixture back to the saucepan and cook it for a few more seconds.
Most cooking stores now sell plastic containers that will make a perfectly poached egg for you in less than one minute. All you need to do is crack the egg onto the container, and place it in the microwave. So, do not think that you need to become a chef overnight to be able to do this.
The French are responsible for the coinage of the word “Florentine,” to associate it to spinach. The reason may have been that Catherine de Medici introduced spinach to French cuisine (she was born in Florence), after she married Prince Henry of France. Hence, the spinach in Florentine would take the place of the ham in the Eggs Benedict recipe.
A second story involves a 1920 Commodore, yachtsman E.C. Benedict, who claims to have received this very recipe from his mother.
1 round slice of ham no thicker than an inch in width and diameter to be placed in halves on the muffins
A restaurant favorite, this dish reigns supreme in every American brunch menu. This is because of its versatility and perhaps even because of its history.
How to poach an egg:
1. Heat water. Fill the pot with about 3 inches of water. Heat the water until it starts to steam and bubble (just before boiling point).
2. Add vinegar. Add a splash of vinegar to the water (this helps the egg stay together once it is in the water).
3. Crack egg. Crack one egg in a small dish (I like to use a small measuring cup).
4. Whirlpool. Next, create a gentle whirlpool in the water by taking a large spoon and circling it around in the water. Poor your egg into the center of the swirl.
5. Cook. While it’s cooking, make sure to watch the water temperature. You never want the water to boil, so if it gets too hot, you may need to turn down the heat. It should stay just below boing point. How log you cook your poached egg depends on personal preference. I like to cook it for 3-4 minutes for a slightly runny yolk. Remove the poached egg with a slotted spoon!
FAQ
What is the difference between eggs Benedict and poached eggs?
What is eggs Benedict with bacon called?