Egg timer

Last Sunday was a handy day to mark time part way through a long weekend that was thoroughly enjoyable, confusing and cathartic in equal measures. It had started off with an unexpected trip to a pub in town on Friday night that, aided by the consumption of some Leeds Brewery blonde beer which was the same colour as the hair of the person I was in the pub with,  seemed like a "crazy dream"- perhaps because of the beer. Saturday saw a surprise trip to the cinema with two of my close friends to see the excellent "Straight Outta Compton" a film that depicts superbly the rise and fall of Gangsta Rap's first super group N.W.A.

Sunday morning arrived around six hours after I had consumed my last post film beer and watched my last post evening out N.W.A. video on Youtube. I helped clear the cobwebs that morning with a fun seven and a half mile walk with one of my mates from the cinema trip as we set the world to rights and gave our dogs plenty of exercise in the stunning countryside we are so lucky to be able to live and walk in.

When I got back it was time for dinner and I noticed that the house I was looking after had a large number of eggs in the fridge and I decided that I needed some comfort food and as the eggs needed using up the end product of my cooking project was to be Eggs Benedict. Those of you who have followed this blog for a while may remember me posting about Eggs Benedict two years ago after I had it at the Glasgow Malmaison the morning after a day spent exploring the city with very good company.

Sunday's Eggs Benedict was a modified and even richer version than the one I made previously.

The album I listened to today was the first one I ever bought from a record shop. I bought it back  in Christmas 1998 when I was a scruffy-haired fifteen year old who's world hardly stretched passed my parents' back garden. The album was Dire Straits' third effort Making Movies which, save a throwaway song at the end, is flawless and songs like "Tunnel of Love" and "Skateaway" summed up well the weekend's events to date.

I started by putting a pan of water, laced with Red Wine Vinegar, on the hob and let it steadily come to the boil. While the water was coming the boil I melted eight ounces of margarine in a small frying pan on the hob and then added three eggs to the pan as well as around two tablespoons of red wine vinegar. The reason for this mixture was to make the Hollandaise Sauce that goes with the eggs. The trick with the sauce is to beat it thoroughly with a whisk continuously. This stops the sauce becoming lumpy and resembling a disturbing derivative of scrambled egg.

As the sauce came together I added the leaves of five sprigs of Rosemary to it and continued to stir the sauce. Meanwhile the water was coming to the boil and using a ladle I added the yolk and the white of one egg to the boiling water. As I lifted the egg into the water from the ladle I used the ladle to create a small whirlpool. 

I let the egg cook for 3-4 minutes in the pan and as the Hollandaise Sauce was ready I put it on the lowest light on the hob and stirred it vigorously on occasion to stop it becoming too lumpy. At the same time I put two slices of buttered bread with two slices of smoked ham on each slice under the grill and lightly grilled them for a couple of minutes.

After the first egg was done in the pan I lifted it out with the ladle and put it on top of the ham toasties on a serving plate. I then repeated the boiling process with two more egg yolks and their whites. I arranged these two eggs on the plate when they were done and poured the Hollandaise and Rosemary Sauce over the top of them to serve. I also sprinkled a little black pepper on the eggs.

Eggs Benedict has a reputation for being rich and overindulgent and this dish was in the best possible way. The taste of the Hollandaise Sauce was enriched by the extra red wine vinegar the texture of the rosemary while the boiled eggs were done for just enough time that they were solid while still giving out some flavoursome yolk when pierced.  The toasted ham and bread helped form a delicious base to the whole dish both literally in the way I had served it and with the taste it added to it.

Eggs smothered in Hollandaise Sauce with a base of ham and bread- the perfect post-dog walk and cinema night out meal.