To this day, the precise origins of Eggs Benedict remain murky. Was it Lemuel Benedict at the Waldorf Hotel in 1894, Commodore E.C. Benedict’s mother in her home kitchen in the late 1800s? Or was it Mrs. LeGrand Benedict at Delmonico restaurant in 1901? All we know for certain is that somewhere near the turn of the century, a “Benedict” slapped some swine on both sides of a warm, halved English muffin, placed a poached egg atop each and ladled hollandaise sauce over the top.
The classic Eggs Benedict is one of those dishes you order at restaurants, convinced that the preparation is best left to professionals. But what often arrives is hard eggs beneath a cold hollandaise blanket. And it seems inevitable that the same will happen at home. So, here’s how to conquer—and it is a fight—this regal breakfast once and for all.
You’ve got to nail the eggs and the hollandaise sauce—that’s an all-or-nothing proposition. Alton Brown, of the Food Network, offers up his recipe, which outlines techniques for the eggs and hollandaise sauce that will up your odds for plating the perfect Eggs Benedict. Don’t doubt the vinegar or the thermos, but feel free to skip making your own muffins—Thomas’ will more than suffice.
If you pull off the improbable, you’re ready to embrace the wide world off Eggs Benedict spin-offs. Eggs Blackstone substitutes crispy bacon for the ham and adds a tomato slice. Eggs Florentine substitutes cooked, chopped spinach for the ham. Eggs Royale substitutes smoked salmon for the ham. And Eggs Sardou starts with a base of creamed spinach, substitutes artichoke bottoms for the English muffin and omits the ham. If you really want to step it up, go for this Crab Cake Benedict or this Fried Green Tomato Benedict.
If you set out to master one breakfast item in your lifetime it should be Eggs Benedict. Trust us – your friends and loved ones will cherish your efforts. The only potential drawback is that you’ll be expected to make it too often to maintain a sensible waistline.
