I have decided that I am going to go on another beginning of the year health binge in the hope of shedding some of the excess weight and actually reforming my often gargantuan eating habits. I am going to attempt to cut out almost all carbs except for some whole grains. I’m going to cut dairy except for my coffee. I am going to try to stop drinking so much coffee. Shit.It will last at least a month, but February is the true test.
Even as I sit here with a freshly toasted Thomas’ English Muffin thinking back to my crazy South African chef Christian at the Greenwich Village Bistro, who once said “You know you’ve applied the correct amount of butter when you can see your teeth marks in it after you’ve bitten!” This is a rule that haunts me to this day… I digress.
Being the rationalist I tend to be I decided that January 1 doesn’t exactly count as the first day of the year(for diets sake), considering that it’s a holiday and all, so I decided to indulge in a little decadence for the first meal of 2008 with the classic Eggs Benedict, with a side of Organic Baby Romaine tossed with the homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette I was raised on. My mother picked up this recipe at, Chez-Moi in Cleveland Heights, OH where she did a stint as a waitress while in college. Originally the recipe was not done with Balsamic, but my mother treats this as sort of a master recipe that can have whatever kind of vinegar you desire and the fresh herbs you have on hand.
Osher Family Vinagrette
1/3 c Balsamic Vinegar
2/3 c. XVO
1-3 cloves garlic (how deep is your love?)
Healthy brimming dollop of Grey Poupon or and other spicy Dijon Mustard
Generous S+P (to taste)
Fresh herbs (Dill, Tarragon, Rosemary, Oregano…whatever as long as its fresh)
Depending on how involved you want to get there are a couple different method for actually making the dressing. My mother prefers to just throw everything in a recycled mustard jar and shake it vigorously until its blended.
I tend to use the method I learned at the short-lived Vertigo Bar in Pittsburgh, PA (which was owned by the otherwise very successful Burrito Brothers group who own the Mad Mex chain among other establishments.) This method involves using a food processor or blender and employing a technique know as emulsion. Basically you add every thing except he oil into the processor/blender, run your machine on high and drizzle the oil in slowly. As I understand it the motion of the blade breaks up the oil into tiny particles as you drizzle it which is then suspended by the surrounding acid contained in the vinegar. Don’t take my word for it read what Ronald C. Deis, Ph.D. has to say. When done properly the dressing will become thick and creamy and will coat your salad like a charm.
Enough about salad dressing already! I know. Now let’s get down to business with Benedict. Linda Stradley of What’s Cooking America does a good job outlining the history of this dish, but I will tell you how I get down.
2/3 c. XVO
1-3 cloves garlic (how deep is your love?)
Healthy brimming dollop of Grey Poupon or and other spicy Dijon Mustard
Generous S+P (to taste)
Fresh herbs (Dill, Tarragon, Rosemary, Oregano…whatever as long as its fresh)
Depending on how involved you want to get there are a couple different method for actually making the dressing. My mother prefers to just throw everything in a recycled mustard jar and shake it vigorously until its blended.
I tend to use the method I learned at the short-lived Vertigo Bar in Pittsburgh, PA (which was owned by the otherwise very successful Burrito Brothers group who own the Mad Mex chain among other establishments.) This method involves using a food processor or blender and employing a technique know as emulsion. Basically you add every thing except he oil into the processor/blender, run your machine on high and drizzle the oil in slowly. As I understand it the motion of the blade breaks up the oil into tiny particles as you drizzle it which is then suspended by the surrounding acid contained in the vinegar. Don’t take my word for it read what Ronald C. Deis, Ph.D. has to say. When done properly the dressing will become thick and creamy and will coat your salad like a charm.
Enough about salad dressing already! I know. Now let’s get down to business with Benedict. Linda Stradley of What’s Cooking America does a good job outlining the history of this dish, but I will tell you how I get down.
EGGS BENENDICT
The two most important things about making a good Eggs Benedict are making a good Hollandaise sauce and knowing how to poach an egg. Don’t scoff, poaching can be a pain if the conditions aren’t right, especially when you are on the line cooking Sunday brunch in New York. You better hope you have some understanding diners who don’t all need their yolks done “over medium”.
The basic instructions for this dish are:
1) PREPARE POACHING LIQUID
2) MAKE HOLLANDAISE ( RESERVE AND KEEP WARM)
3) POACH EGGS
4) LIGHTLY SAUTEE/ BROWN CANADIAN BACON
5) TOAST ENGLISH MUFFINS
6) TOSS SALAD
HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
This sauce is truly what gives this dish its decadent reputation. Traditionally it is prepared over a double boiler, which proves to be a time consuming and very delicate process. I prefer the blender method which is quicker and less delicate. The quick and dirty ratio I like to use is 1 oz butter to 1 egg yolk so the recipe would be as follows:
6 eggs yolks
zest and juice of a half lemon
Kosher Salt + Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
6 oz. melted butter
Place all ingredients except butter in the blender. Melt butter and keep warm. Turn blender on high and drizzle the melted butter. The key to this method is blending the butter into the rest of the ingredients while hot so it slightly cooks the yolks. Be careful not to add the butter to quick, as it can cook the yolks to quick and give you a much thicker sauce than you intend. IF you do make this mistake (which I have a couple times) don’t worry, all you need to do is add a little water to the sauce and pulse the blender until the sauce is properly liquefied.
4) Remove your poached eggs and place gently atop the Canadian bacon. (If your not careful your poached eggs can get away from you easily, which is no fun!)
5) Apply your Hollandaise sauce. ( This can be a saving grace if you eggs aren’t very pretty, the sauce will cover your tracks. Apply a decent amount, but don’t drown the eggs.)
3) POACH EGGS
4) LIGHTLY SAUTEE/ BROWN CANADIAN BACON
5) TOAST ENGLISH MUFFINS
6) TOSS SALAD
7) PLATE
First off, make sure you have plenty of water in your pan, so there is enough for the eggs to be completely submerged and float freely without touching bottom. MAKE SURE TO ADD AT LEAST 1-2 t WHITE VINEGAR. This is the key to a beautifully poached egg. You also want to have a good sized slotted spoon and a heat resistant rubber/silicon spatula.
When your water gets to poaching temperature (just under boiling) Use the spatula to make sure the eggs is released from the pan as it starts to coagulate. Poached eggs are some slippery delicate pillows so you want to have a nice big slotted spoon to scoop them out and contain them while draining the water.
The other little secret about poaching is to be extremely gentle when cracking the egg and inserting it into the water. You want to crack the and get it as close to the water as you can bear then slowly open the egg so as to keep the egg white from spreading out. The perfect poached egg will looks like white orb…it shouldn’t look like a boiled over easy egg.
The definition of poaching is "to cook an item by submerging it in a liquid that is just barley simmering." Poaching is not a rolling boil. Poaching, compared to boiling, is a much gentler technique. The temperature of the poaching liquid should be between 170 and 180 degrees. The surface of the liquid should be just "shivering," as the French say. This temperature is very important because boiling liquid toughens meat and fish, and can make fragile products like eggs and certain delicate fish disintegrate.
Besides proper poaching temperatures, special consideration should be given to the composition of the poaching liquid. This will flavor or at the very least season whatever is being poached in it. If water alone is used to poach, it should be well salted. If the water is not salted, the item being poached will taste insipid. (Poaching eggs is the one exception to this rule. The water should not be salted, but rather lightly vinegared, which helps the egg proteins to coagulate or "set" quickly.)excerpt from ChefTalk
The definition of poaching is "to cook an item by submerging it in a liquid that is just barley simmering." Poaching is not a rolling boil. Poaching, compared to boiling, is a much gentler technique. The temperature of the poaching liquid should be between 170 and 180 degrees. The surface of the liquid should be just "shivering," as the French say. This temperature is very important because boiling liquid toughens meat and fish, and can make fragile products like eggs and certain delicate fish disintegrate.
Besides proper poaching temperatures, special consideration should be given to the composition of the poaching liquid. This will flavor or at the very least season whatever is being poached in it. If water alone is used to poach, it should be well salted. If the water is not salted, the item being poached will taste insipid. (Poaching eggs is the one exception to this rule. The water should not be salted, but rather lightly vinegared, which helps the egg proteins to coagulate or "set" quickly.)excerpt from ChefTalk
HOLLANDAISE SAUCE
This sauce is truly what gives this dish its decadent reputation. Traditionally it is prepared over a double boiler, which proves to be a time consuming and very delicate process. I prefer the blender method which is quicker and less delicate. The quick and dirty ratio I like to use is 1 oz butter to 1 egg yolk so the recipe would be as follows:
6 eggs yolks
zest and juice of a half lemon
Kosher Salt + Fresh Ground Pepper to taste
6 oz. melted butter
Place all ingredients except butter in the blender. Melt butter and keep warm. Turn blender on high and drizzle the melted butter. The key to this method is blending the butter into the rest of the ingredients while hot so it slightly cooks the yolks. Be careful not to add the butter to quick, as it can cook the yolks to quick and give you a much thicker sauce than you intend. IF you do make this mistake (which I have a couple times) don’t worry, all you need to do is add a little water to the sauce and pulse the blender until the sauce is properly liquefied.
You want to keep your sauce warm once its made, you may keep it the sauce in a container in a vessel of hot water, or you can simply leave the sauce on your range, as it should be plenty warm as you should have your poaching liquid and your pan for your Canadian bacon going.
For a little history and more detailed description of the desired appearance of the sauce on this sauce Linda Stradley does a great job:
Hollandaise Sauce (HOL-uhn-dayz) - Hollandaise mean Holland-style or from Holland. Uses butter and egg yolks as binding. It is served hot with vegetables, fish, and eggs (like egg benedict). It will be a pale lemon color, opaque, but with a luster not appearing oily. The basic sauce and its variations should have a buttery-smooth texture, almost frothy, and an aroma of good butter. Making this emulsified sauce requires a good deal of practice — it is not for the faint of heart. BĂ©arnaise sauce, which is "related" to hollandaise sauce, is most often served with steak.
History - Most historians agree that it was originally called Sauce Isigny after a town in Normandy, Isigny-sur-Mer, known for its butter. Today, Normandy is called the cream capital of France. During World War I, butter production came to a halt in France and had to be imported from Holland. The name was changed to hollandaise to indicate the source of the butter and was never changed back. http://whatscookingamerica.net
CANADIAN BACON
You should be able to find Canadian Bacon aka Canadian Style Bacon at better grocery stores. Unless you have a seriously gourmet markets in your area you probably won’t have a huge selection (1 or 2 brands at most). I am not particularly picky about the brand I use. This product seems to be relatively consistent from one brand to another.
In a small sautee pan you can put on your Canadian bacon over a low heat to get it to temperature as you prepare the other elements of this dish. Be careful not to overcook the Canadian bacon, as it will get dried out. I like to start the Canadian bacon when I start to poach my eggs. When you are getting ready to plate, I like to turn up the heat to make sure I get a little color on the meat.
PLATING
One of the more difficult aspects of cooking professionally or personally is timing and coordinating all of the aspects of your dish to come together simultaneously so you can serve your food at the right temperature and quickly to your awaiting diners.
1) Place your salad and garnish (sliced vine ripe tomatoes in this case) to one side of the plate leaving room for the eggs.
CANADIAN BACON
You should be able to find Canadian Bacon aka Canadian Style Bacon at better grocery stores. Unless you have a seriously gourmet markets in your area you probably won’t have a huge selection (1 or 2 brands at most). I am not particularly picky about the brand I use. This product seems to be relatively consistent from one brand to another.
In a small sautee pan you can put on your Canadian bacon over a low heat to get it to temperature as you prepare the other elements of this dish. Be careful not to overcook the Canadian bacon, as it will get dried out. I like to start the Canadian bacon when I start to poach my eggs. When you are getting ready to plate, I like to turn up the heat to make sure I get a little color on the meat.
PLATING
One of the more difficult aspects of cooking professionally or personally is timing and coordinating all of the aspects of your dish to come together simultaneously so you can serve your food at the right temperature and quickly to your awaiting diners.
1) Place your salad and garnish (sliced vine ripe tomatoes in this case) to one side of the plate leaving room for the eggs.
2) Place the toasted English Muffins down, giving yourself a landing pad for the other elements.
4) Remove your poached eggs and place gently atop the Canadian bacon. (If your not careful your poached eggs can get away from you easily, which is no fun!)
5) Apply your Hollandaise sauce. ( This can be a saving grace if you eggs aren’t very pretty, the sauce will cover your tracks. Apply a decent amount, but don’t drown the eggs.)
6) I like to give this dish a final dash of seasoning with a little salt and pepper after everything is down.