Eggs Benedict has been updated and tweaked so many ways, but this is my favorite take so far. Rich (but not too rich), and brightened with lemon and fennel, this recipe is worth another look at the standard.
In this version of eggs benedict, the eggs are scrambled with fennel rather than poached. Eggs carry the flavor of the fennel so well. Also, hollandaise usually involves only egg yolks (or at least more yolk than whole eggs), and a slew of butter (thank you, Kenji, for showing us all how it's done!) but this version uses less butter and only one whole egg. Light and lemony and a perfect complement to the eggs and fennel. Finally, this version uses prosciutto for the Canadian bacon to add the savory and salty effect without throwing off the fennel-lemon balance. Delish.
Ingredients
4 eggs
1 tsp lemon juice
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
4 tbsp fennel, bulb only, diced fine
2 tsp chopped fennel fronds
1/4 tsp diced shallot
2 thin slices of prosciutto
1 English muffin, toasted
1 tbsp Olive oil
kosher salt
Heat a saucepan or double boiler of about 2 inches of water over until simmering. In a heat-proof bowl or the bowl of the double boiler, crack 2 eggs and whisk vigorously until frothy and about double in size. Whisk in lemon and two pinches of salt and place over the double boiler, continuously whisking. Slowly drizzle in butter while whisking, and continue to whisk until thickened and fully emulsified. Remove from heat but keep the water simmering.
In a small bowl, beat the remaining eggs with two pinches of salt. Set aside. Place toasted English muffin on a plate, split side up, and top each half with a slice of prosciutto.
In a sauté pan on medium heat, sauté olive oil and shallot until shallot begins to soften, about 1 minute. Add fennel and sauté until the fennel softens, about 2 more minutes. Stir in beaten egg and scramble until just set. Spoon half of the scrambled eggs on each muffin half.
Return hollandaise to double boiler to briefly reheat if needed, or to thin with a few drops of water if it had thickened too much while resting. Spoon hollandaise over eggs and sprinkle with fennel fronds. Serve immediately.
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