Why is it there are some recipes that are justifiably deemed for brunch? Take for example the egg benedict, or more specifically my Arugula and Prosciutto Egg Benedict.
This isn’t a dish one would much consider ginning up on a Wednesday morning when the alarm didn’t go off (why does it always seem like it happens on a Wednesday?) and you’re prying the covers off of your sleeping daughter who pulls the perfect caterpillar move to create the tightest of duvet cocoons all the while racing the clock to not miss the first school bell because why didn’t anyone make her lunch the night before??
No, that’s the day for a microwave egg and veggie bagel sandwich.
Which is why I suppose those restful weekend lallygag brunches are indeed all of what they’re cracked up to be.
A few weekends ago I upped the ante on the traditional egg bene because the simple ham just wasn’t putting the lock in my blocks. Maybe that’s why I make this salmon and bagel egg benedict so often.
But with a blender just begging to be used for something other than the weekend’s margaritas, we put the breakfast making skills to work by adding a few Italian flavors to the traditional benedict.
The key to the dish really lies in the homemade hollandaise. I don’t know why I’ve always had a fear of making my own. Afraid it would ‘break’ or not thicken enough or thicken too much so it became a brick.
Why was I so afeared? This thing is easy peasy.
While this benedict was amazingly tasty for brunch, it would be equally divine for a regular weekday lunch or simple dinner.
When poaching eggs, my secret (and about 1 million other cooks) is to add a bit of vinegar to the water, which helps the egg whites congeal. I use whatever white vinegar I have on hand: regular white, rice wine or champagne. You won’t taste the flavor, but it is the trick not to miss. when it comes to poaching.
If your egg yolks seem to not be cooking, spoon a bit of water over the tops to give them a bit of a water baste and they’ll cook up as you do.
This recipe shines when the ingredients do. Use the freshest you can find.
When cooking for a crowd, toast all of the English muffins on a sheet pan in the oven. You can also par boil the eggs and set aside then dunk back into the hot water just before serving. Do be sure to drain all of the water from the eggs, nobody wants watered down sauce or a soggy muffin.
If you’re not a fan of the spiciness of arugula, give spinach a try. Or sauté some kale with garlic and shiitake mushrooms for a vegetarian treat.
Arugula and Prosciutto Egg Benedict
Ingredients
Instructions
Arugula and Prosciutto Egg Benedict
Ingredients
Instructions
While this is my new favorite hollandaise and a darn good breakfast, there’s a plethora of food bloggers outdoing anything I can come up with. Here’s just a sampling of a few to savor.
(Please click through to the original recipe when you find your favorite recipe to pin on Pinterest.)
This self proclaimed queso junkie puts the ‘SOO GOOD’ in Confections of a FoodieBride‘s tex mex version with Eggs Benedict Con Queso.
Shanon shares her love of benes with a veggie heavy version with kale in The Curvy Carrot‘s Egg Benedict Florentine with Creamy Butter Sauce.
Pickled red onion tops off leftover carnitas in Kevin’s incarnation of a Mexican breakfast with a twist in Closet Cooking’s Carnitas Egg Benedict.
Elliot takes us on a tour of low country cuisine with an undeniable favorite combo in benedict form: Fried Green Tomato Benedict with Smithfield Ham & Pimiento Cheese Hollandaise from F is for Food.
Brenda takes us back to someone’s, anyone’s, and everyone’s Southern roots with A Farm Girl’s Dabbles Eggs Benedict with BBQ Hollandaise.
Definitely a happy mouthful, Beth explores new and wonderful territory in the benedict world with Local Milk’s Asparagus Benedict on Quinoa Nettle Cakes with Country Ham, Lovage Mint Aioli and a Poached Egg.
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So great your post Which is why I suppose those restful weekend lallygag brunches are indeed all of what they’re cracked up to be.
Прекрасный рецепт, завтрак получается в удовольствие.
Thank you posting pics of other ideas, but yours definitely looks the appealing!
yum. i love poached eggs. but suck at making them myself. I want one of these for breakfast
Heidi, I’m coming over your house for breakfast! :)
Fabulous. Period. Would eat daily.
Mmmmm…I love a good benny! I just had one this past weekend with chorizo and avocado. But this prosciutto and tomato version looks delish!
Eggs Benedict – hubby’s fav breakfast – I’ve been making a very easy stovetop hollandaise for years – we sometimes don’t using a bread base at all. Try different types of meat and all time fav a crabcake! Will be trying your version on his next day off. Thanks
MMmmm… love egg benedict on a casual weekend brunch. Yum!
You just solved all of my problems: 1.) How to accomplish Hollandaise without crying and 2.) how to get around the fact that boyfriend hates ham but I want eggs benedict (he loves prosciutto…why did I not think of this before?)
This is actually pretty much one of my favorite meals ever, I get it from Northstar Cafe every time I go home to Columbus. I, like you, was also intimidated by the hollandaise…. I’ve tried it once and it looked great but tasted super bland. Perhaps the trick is in the tabasco, guess I’ll have to give it another whirl!
I’ll take mine with extra arugula and hollandaise, please! I haven’t had an eggs benedict for months…way too long. I love the blender method for hollandaise at home. Thanks so much for the mention!
Oh my, this looks amazing! Love the photos, Heidi!
I just discovered blender hollandaise and I LOVE it. This looks amazing! :)
That one cup of hollandaise is for two servings, right? Yes… yes it is. :-)
What a perfect brunch! I love eggs benedict! Thanks for the egg poaching tips
Poached eggs are my new thing since I purchased an egg poacher in the Spring!
GAWD!! This sounds so incredible!!
Ahhh, so I see we have very similar kid mornings! Eggs Benedict is my indulgence if I go out for brunch but I should try it at home.
Really makes me wish it was Saturday morning instead of Tuesday.
Heidi,
This is lovely and delicious in so many ways. . and I didn’t know the secret to poaching eggs. . thank you!
looks great.
Wow – talk about “kicking it up a notch”!! I, too, want to have this – plus the other wonderful versions – for dinner !!!
This is so pretty, Heidi! I agree with, Norma! Why wait for the weekend when this could be a totally incredible dinner! It is so happening!
I wouldn’t wait for the weekend, I would have this for dinner. Your photos are stunning.