Poaching Perfection

Eggs Benedict with a properly poached egg and a blanket of homemade Hollandaise is breakfast heaven.

Alongside a strong cup of coffee, breakfast is just what I need to feel alive. It is often called the most important meal of the day, and I would have to agree. The importance of breakfast is right in the name — you break the overnight fasting period and replenish your nutrients, providing energy to get through the day.

One of my favorite breakfast dishes is Eggs Benedict, which typically consists of Canadian bacon, a poached egg and Hollandaise sauce on an English muffin. For this recipe, however, I have taken a different approach and created a more coastal and elegant version of Eggs Benedict. By incorporating smoked salmon, Brie, asparagus and red onion with the English muffin, poached egg and Hollandaise sauce, this is an elevated breakfast.

While experimenting with this recipe, I kept having a difficult time creating the perfect poached egg. I tried the whirlpool technique in which you swirl the simmering water and then crack your egg, but nine times out of 10 I would bust the yolk. I tried the method of adding vinegar to the simmering water and still, my egg seemed to just dissolve and fall apart in the water. I even tried the oven manner of poaching, but the egg didn’t look anything like a poached egg; instead, it resembled a fried egg over easy.

One day while I was discussing my poaching troubles with a family member, I was told to try breaking the egg into a bowl of equal parts water and white vinegar and let it sit for 10 minutes before cooking.

Not too long after I obtained this tip, we hosted our best friends overnight. I was going to try this new poached egg suggestion on them for breakfast, and I knew they would be brutally honest with me about how it turned out. I found that by letting the egg sit in the water/vinegar mixture, it creates an invisible sheath that holds the egg together and makes it much easier to scoop up and lay into the simmering water. After a few minutes in the simmering pot, I gently scooped it out. I had made the perfect poached egg.
Success!

This dish came together well with the smoked salmon, crisp asparagus, creamy Brie and perfectly poached egg, all blanketed with warm Hollandaise sauce. Our houseguests loved it!

I love smoked salmon for breakfast, but you could substitute Canadian bacon if you prefer. If you do not like asparagus for breakfast, feel free to substitute avocado. If Brie is not your cup of cheese, you can use cream cheese instead. Feel free to toy with ingredients if you want to make it your own. Whatever you decide, I can attest, you will have the perfectly poached egg sitting on top.

Photography by James Stefiuk

Print Recipe

Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict with Hollandaise Sauce

Eggs Benedict with a properly poached egg and a blanket of homemade Hollandaise is breakfast heaven.

Course

Breakfast

Cuisine

Breakfast

Keyword

asparagus, brie, egg, salmon

Servings

People

Ingredients

For the Eggs Benedict

• 8 cups water
• 2 cups white distilled vinegar
• 4 large eggs
• 2 English muffins cut in half and toasted
• 4 ounces brie cheese sliced
• 3 ounces smoked salmon
• 1/4 lb asparagus trimmed
• thinly sliced red onion
• fresh dill springs for garnish

For the Hollandaise Sauce

• 2 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons butter room temperature
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
• salt

Course Breakfast Cuisine Breakfast Keyword asparagus, brie, egg, salmon Servings People Ingredients For the Eggs Benedict 8 cups water 2 cups white distilled vinegar 4 large eggs 2 English muffins cut in half and toasted 4 ounces brie cheese sliced 3 ounces smoked salmon 1/4 lb asparagus trimmed thinly sliced red onion fresh dill springs for garnish For the Hollandaise Sauce 2 large egg yolks 2 tablespoons water 2 tablespoons butter room temperature 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice salt

Instructions

For the Hollandaise Sauce

1. Add the egg yolks and water to a small frying pan.
2. Holding the pan 2 inches above the heating element on medium-high heat, whisk the eggs until they are frothy and warm.
3. Add the butter to the pan (do not place the pan on the element) and continue to whisk until the hollandaise is thick.
4. Whisk in the lemon juice and a pinch of salt and set the pan aside.

For the Eggs Benedict

1. In a large bowl mix 2 cups of water and 2 cups of distilled vinegar.
2. Gently crack the eggs into the bowl as so not to bust the yolk. Let the eggs sit in the water/vinegar mixture for 10 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, bring a skillet of 2 cups of water to boil on the stove. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. In a pot, add 4 cups of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. (You want to bring the water to a simmer but not boil. Bubbles will form on the bottom and sides, and steam will start to rise)
5. Using a ladle, scoop one egg at a time out of the water/vinegar mixture and slowly lower each into the pot of simmering water – be careful not to bust the yolk.
6. Simmer the eggs for 2 to 3 minutes then use a skimmer or straining spoon to scoop each out.
7. Plate by dividing the asparagus among the two plates and place the toasted English muffins (open face) on top of the asparagus.
8. Divide and lay the Brie slices on top of each English muffin half (should have 2 to 3 slices per half).
9. Top the Brie with pieces of smoked salmon and gently rest the poached egg on top of the salmon.
10. Spoon a portion of the Hollandaise sauce over each egg and top with sliced onion and fresh dill sprigs.