Eggs Benedict

Eggs Benedict is one of those dishes, that if you've never tried it, you’ve heard of it and when you do get to have a go you wonder why you’ve not had it before.

For the uninitiated it’s a very sumptuous, rich and you might venture, a decadent dish. If you’re counting the calories then get your abacus out, butter sauces don’t do fat free.

The Hollandaise, whilst it sounds tricky is actually not that difficult it just requires some manly whisking. You have to taste as well to ensure it has the right consistency and levels of acidity that you like.

Equally as important is the poached egg, there are lots of different methods each of them works, just make sure the yolk is runny and the white solid. My current (it changes) method is below; if you have a way that works for you then use that.

The Parma ham again is a preference other people prefer the greater saltiness and texture of crispy streaky bacon.

I think the spinach leaves are there balance to all the butter in the sauce, Ok it’s nod towards the healthy at least

Serves 2, the sauce will stretch to 3 maybe 4 if you’re not a glutton like me

Hollandaise Sauce

125g Melted Butter (I like my sauce fairly thick so increase the butter if you want it runnier)

2 Egg Yolks

1 tsp White wine vinegar

Pinch of Salt and Freshly ground black pepper

Squeeze of lemon juice

The Rest

1 Egg per person, fresh as you can get them

1 Muffin per person

3 Slices of Parma Ham

1 Handful of baby spinach leaves per person

1 Egg per person

Splash of white wine vinegar

I recommend getting everything out and measured before you start as it’s a bit go go go at the end

In a large pan put some water on to boil, about half full, turn down to simmer if it boils before you’re ready to poach

Put the grill on ready to toast the muffins

To make the hollandaise place a heatproof, glass bowl over a pan of simmering water. Make sure the bowl doesn’t touch the water and that the water doesn’t boil

Into the glass bowl put the egg yolks, vinegar, salt and pepper, whisk like mad over the heat until you get a thick sauce like effect, apparently this is called a sabayon.

Take the bowl off the heat and either

• Trickle the butter whisking as you go , this is a pain as pans are heavy man
• Pour in a glug at a time then whisk the hell out of it until the butter is incorporated into the sauce

Keep doing this until the sauce has the consistency you want or the butter has gone

Next whisk in a small amount of lemon juice, taste and add more if you want to

Off the heat put the bowl back over the water and cover with cling film to keep warm

Break your eggs into something like ramekin dishes

Halve your muffins and toast under the grill

Place two halves on each plate and cover with spinach leaves, next layer on your ham

Add a good splash of white wine vinegar to the water, stir, make sure the water is simmering nicely, then gently slide each egg into the water. I find it best to place the ramekin into water and gently tip the egg out. If the eggs are fresh they should hold their shape. Mine weren’t and look a bit flat. Simmer for exactly 3 mins

Remove the eggs and dry on paper towels

Give your sauce a final good whisk

Place and egg in the middle of your muffin, spinach, ham arrangement

Drizzle over the hollandaise and add a twist of black pepper

Trust me if you’ve never had this before and you like poached eggs, you’ll love this

Cue Ubiquitous empty plate shot !