Delias Heavenly Eggs Benedict Food

DELIA'S HEAVENLY EGGS BENEDICT

Steps:

• Heat lemon juice and vinegar in a small saucepan just until the mixture starts to bubble and simmer. Meanwhile, place the egg yolks in the small bowl of your food processor (or in blender) and season with a smidgen of salt and pepper. Blend for one minute. Once the lemon juice/vinegar has come to a simmer turn your processor or blender back on. VERY slowly add the hot liquid in a small stream to the egg yolks while the food processor of blender is running.
• Using the same saucepan, melt butter over a VERY gentle heat. Do not allow butter to turn brown. When butter foams, turn the processor or blender back on and pour in the butter in a thin, SLOW, steady trickle. The slower you add it the better. Clean the bowl with a spatula and add to the sauce and pulse once.
• The key to a perfect poached egg is to keep the water at a bare simmer throughout the cooking. Place a small frying pan over gentle heat and add enough boiling water to fill it to 1 inch. Keep the heat gentle.
• Once you see tiny bubbles on the bottom of the pan, carefully break the eggs, one at a time, into the water and let them barely simmer, without covering, for exactly 1 minute. Use a timer.
• After one minute, remove the pan from the heat and let the eggs sit in the hot water and set timer for 10 minutes. This timing will give perfect results for a beautifully translucent, perfectly set white and a soft, creamy yolk.
• Remove eggs, one at a time, with slotted spoon and let the spoon rest for a few seconds on a sheet of paper towel to absorb the excess water.
• When the pancetta is cooked, keep it on a warm plate while you lightly toast the split muffins on both sides. Butter the muffins and place them on the baking tray, then top each half with two slices of pancetta. Put a poached egg on top of each muffin half and spoon over the hollandaise, covering the egg (there should be a little over 1 tablespoon of sauce for each egg).
• Flash the Eggs Benedict under the grill for just 25-30 seconds, as close to the heat as possible, but don't take your eyes off them - they need to be tinged golden and no more. This should just glaze the surface of the hollandaise.
• Serve immediately on hot plates.

CLASSIC EGGS BENEDICT

Steps:

• Make the hollandaise sauce: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat until no longer foamy (but not browned), 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer the clear butter to a liquid measuring cup, leaving the milk solids on the bottom of the pan; discard the solids.
• Heat 1 inch of water in a medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming but not simmering. Combine the egg yolks, 1 tablespoon water and 2 teaspoons lemon juice in a medium stainless-steel bowl. Set the bowl on the saucepan (do not let the bowl touch the water). Cook, whisking constantly, until the egg mixture is pale yellow and thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Check periodically to make sure the water isn't boiling or the egg yolks might overcook.
• Remove the bowl from the saucepan; slowly pour in the melted butter, a drop at a time at first, whisking constantly until thick. Whisk in the remaining 2 teaspoons lemon juice, the cayenne and ¼ teaspoon salt. If the sauce is too thick, whisk in some warm water, 1 tablespoon at a time, to loosen. Return the bowl to the saucepan of water with the heat turned off to keep warm; whisk occasionally.
• Make the Eggs Benedict: Fill a large wide pot with 3 inches of water. Heat over medium-high heat until steaming with small bubbles; reduce the heat as needed to maintain a bare simmer. Stir in the vinegar. Crack 4 eggs into individual small bowls or ramekins. Carefully tip the eggs into the water, spacing them as far apart as possible. Cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny, 3 to 3½ minutes. Remove the eggs with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with a kitchen towel. Gently blot the eggs dry and trim off any wispy pieces. Repeat with the remaining 4 eggs.
• Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the Canadian bacon and cook until lightly browned and warmed through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Meanwhile, toast the English muffins and spread with butter.
• Top each English muffin half with a slice of Canadian bacon and a poached egg. Thin the hollandaise sauce with more warm water, if necessary, and season with salt. Spoon over the poached eggs and sprinkle with chopped chives.

EGGS BENEDICT

Steps:

• Sauté the ham slices in the butter for 2 minutes.
• Place the ham on English muffins.
• Poach the eggs in simmering water in a frying pan (a splash of white vinegar will help keep them together).
• When set remove with a slotted spoon and place on ham.
• Whirl eggs yolks, lemon juice and salt and pepper in blender on high for 30 seconds.
• Uncover and continue to blend on high while slowly adding the melted butter in a thin slow stream.
• When the sauce is thick and creamy pour over eggs and serve.