Spring Benny

Roughly mashed asparagus and good seed bread turn eggs benny into something new. Look for thickly cut double-smoked bacon at butcher shops, Eastern European shops or behind a well-stocked grocer’s deli counter. The brown butter and sesame hollandaise is a knockout spooned overtop.

1 lb (455 g) thick-cut double-smoked bacon, sliced

12 tbsp (180 mL) unsalted butter, 1½ sticks 1½ tsp (7 mL) sesame oil

3 egg yolks

1 tbsp plus 1 tsp (20 mL) lemon juice

1 tbsp (15 mL) water

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 lb (455 g) asparagus, trimmed of woody ends 1 tbsp (15 mL) white vinegar

8 eggs

4 large slices good-quality seed bread, toasted and halved

2 tsp (10 mL) toasted sesame seeds

1 Fry bacon slices in a large skillet until lightly crisped; keep warm in oven on low temperature.

2 In a medium pot with a light-coloured bottom, melt butter over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring frequently, until butter foams then browns, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in sesame oil. Measure and reserve 1 tbsp (15 mL) of mixture separately from remainder in pot.

3 In a blender, pulse to combine egg yolks, lemon juice and water. With the motor running, slowly drizzle in larger quantity of hot butter mixture through hole in lid. Season sauce with salt and pepper to taste; set aside.

4 Cook asparagus in salted boiling water until tender enough to mash but still bright green, 6 to 8 minutes. Drain, return to warm pot and roughly mash; season with salt and pepper. Stir in reserved 1 tbsp (15 mL) of butter mixture. Cover and keep warm.

5 Fill a medium pot with water to a depth of 2 inches (5 cm). Stir in vinegar and bring to a gentle boil over medium heat; reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Crack the eggs one at a time into a small ramekin and slip into the water. Cook 4 minutes, in batches, for soft poached. Remove with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate. 6 Divide asparagus mash between toasts; arrange 2 pieces each on 4 small plates. Divide bacon between; top each with an egg. Spoon hollandaise over and sprinkle each with a pinch of sesame seeds.

Serves 4