Spring Benedict

Good afternoon!  We have a bright, beautiful sunny day here today!  I might even walk to go get Addy from the bus stop today.  Normally, my lazy tush drives the block;)  But of course, the winds kick up again tonight, and we might get a little sprinkling of snow tomorrow.  Yay.  Whatever, I am still celebrating spring and Easter as if it is gloriously sunny.  And to go with that, today I will show you how to make a “spring” Benedict.  This recipe would be great for an Easter brunch!

A typical “Eggs Benedict” is an English muffin, topped with Canadian bacon, a poached egg and hollandaise sauce.  I love any and all eggs benedict.  Mainly because of the hollandaise sauce.  I could drink that stuff like it is an egg, butter and lemon smoothie.  My Spring Benedict is toasted sourdough bread, topped with ham or prosciutto, roasted asparagus, a fried egg and a mustardy hollandaise sauce.  Oh Mah Gawd.  And so “springy”!

I think there a lot of people who are intimidated by hollandaise sauce.  It is actually really easy to make.  I make mine in a blender.  I don’t use a double boiler and a whisk.  That takes forever.  My method is fool proof so don’t stop reading this because you don’t want to make hollandaise sauce.

Let’s start.

I start by roasting my asparagus.  Yes, asparagus is available all year around, but it is best in the spring and summer.  I always forget how much I love it until I taste the yummy spring asparagus.

I know, I know.  You are shocked that I like a vegetable.

I roasted my asparagus at 400 degrees for about 13 minutes.  I had drizzled some olive oil, salt and pepper on it first.

While you have your oven hot…you might as well toast your bread.  I spread some melted butter on to each slice, and I toasted the bread in the oven.  About 2 minutes on broil.  Watch it closely though.  This can go from golden brown to disgustingly burnt in 2 seconds.

I used a really good sourdough bread.  I think that sourdough holds up really well to the eggs and hollandaise.  I’m over English muffins, and biscuits fall apart, so sourdough bread it is!

Onto the sauce…..by far, the best part.  I used 3 egg yolks, 10 tablespoons of butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons), the juice of one large lemon and ¼ cup of Gourmet Rooster Carolina Style BBQ Sauce.  This BBQ sauce is mustardy, vinegary and smoky/sweet.  It has its own unique flavor.  If you can’t find any….sub in Dijon mustard, a dash of apple cider vinegar and a huge dash of black pepper.

I blended the egg yolks and lemon in the blender.  Then, I added the BBQ sauce.

Meanwhile, I had the butter slowly melting on the stove top.

Here is the trick….with the motor running, slowly, and I mean SLOWLY, drizzle in the butter through the opening on the top.  This will emulsify the sauce, and you will end up with a thick, rich sauce.  The BBQ sauce makes this hollandaise absolute perfection.

This sauce can sit in the blender for a few minutes while you prepare your eggs.  When you are ready to serve, turn the blender back on and blend in 1 couple tablespoons of hot water.

As for the eggs, I chose to fry my eggs.  You can poach or fry, your choice.  If you poach, make sure you put a bit of white vinegar into your simmering water.  It will help hold the whites together as it cooks.  Also, if you poach…dry the bottom off with a paper towel.

To assemble, I start with the toast, then ham.  I used leftover ham, but prosciutto would rock in this), then asparagus…..

Then I top that with the egg, and then finally….I drown that sucker in hollandaise.  At least mine. 

When the yolk mixes with the sauce……Yum!  The asparagus is perfect with the ham….and the sauce is tangy, yet still buttery.  This is one of my favorite things ever!  I think you will love it too.

Easy  Mustardy Hollandaise

3 egg yolks

10 tablespoons butter, melted

The juice of one large lemon

¼ cup Gourmet Rooster Carolina Style BBQ Sauce

In a blender, blend the egg yolks and lemon juice.  Add in the BBQ sauce and blend.  Through the opening at the top, slowly drizzle in the melted butter while the motor is running.  The sauce should be thick and creamy.