SMOKED SALMON EGGS BENEDICT
Feeds 4
The traditional eggs Benedict—toasted English muffin topped with ham, then poached eggs, then a hollandaise made with clarified butter—seems to have originated in New York City at the restaurant Delmonico’s. Now, it’s ubiquitous across the United States, in diners and good brunch places alike, particularly popular as a hangover cure. This version of eggs Benedict was inspired by the smoked salmon we make from wild Alaskan salmon every summer. The dairy-free hollandaise relies on olive oil, a technique Danny first encountered at a restaurant in Vancouver, Canada. So really, this dish comes from all over the place. And it could be on your table soon.
- For the hollandaise sauce
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Dash Tabasco sauce
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the eggs benedict
- 2 teaspoons white vinegar
- 8 large eggs, at room temperature
- 4 gluten-free English Muffins, split open and toasted
- 8 ounces smoked salmon
Make the hollandaise. Set a medium pot over high heat. Fill it three-quarters of the way with water. When the water is boiling, put a metal bowl on top of it. Grab the side with a dry towel so you don’t burn yourself. Add the egg yolks and 1 tablespoon of water. Whisk them together continuously until they have tripled in volume. Do not walk away from this or you will have scrambled eggs. If the eggs look anything like they are starting to cook and curd up, take the bowl off the boiling water. Put the towel on the counter and the bowl on top of it. Slowly drizzle in the oil, whisking vigorously, until all the oil is added. If the sauce looks at all like it is starting to separate, stop adding the oil and whisk until it is emulsified. If the sauce is starting to thicken up too much before the oil is added, add a tablespoon of water and continue whisking. Once all the oil is added, and the consistency is like a slightly thin mayonnaise, season with the lemon juice, Tabasco, and salt and pepper. Put the bowl back on the pot of water, with the heat off, on the back of the stove.
Poach the eggs. Set a large pot over high heat. Fill it with water and bring it to a boil. When the water is boiling, turn the heat down to low so the water simmers very slowly. Add the vinegar and stir it up. Crack each egg into its own ramekin or bowl. Use a large spoon to stir the water in one direction and make a little whirlpool. Carefully, drop one egg into the middle of the whirlpool. Quickly, add one more. Immediately turn off the heat and let the eggs sit in the water. For soft-poached eggs, pull the eggs out of the water with a slotted spoon after 2 minutes. For harder eggs, wait for 5 minutes. Move the eggs to a plate. Reheat the water and continue the same process with the remaining eggs. (If you have a big pot and you feel confident poaching eggs, you can poach 4 at a time.)
Assemble the eggs Benedict. Put two halves of the toasted English muffins onto a plate. Put some smoked salmon on each, then a poached egg on each, then ladle some hollandaise luxuriously on the top. Serve immediately.