Eggs Benedict

Rich and buttery hollandaise should be served warm rather than hot, and is as delicious with steamed asparagus or grilled fish as it is with eggs Benedict. You can even chill leftover hollandaise and use it as a sandwich spread. The addition of finely chopped shallot and tarragon transforms this sauce into Béarnaise, which is best served with steak.

SERVES 2

PREPARATION TIME 10 minutes COOKING TIME about 20 minutes

1tbsp white wine vinegar mixed with 4tbsp water

1 small bay leaf

4 white peppercorns 2 medium egg yolks 125g unsalted butter, diced, at room temperature

Squeeze lemon juice TO ASSEMBLE

2 muffins, split and toasted 4 slices ham, carved off the bone

4 poached eggs

1tbsp freshly chopped chives

1 Put the vinegar mixture, bay leaf and peppercorns into a small pan and simmer rapidly until reduced to 1tbsp. Strain into a bowl and leave to cool. This can be made in advance and left in the fridge until needed.

2 Put the egg yolks into a heatproof bowl with a pinch of salt and 1tsp vinegar reduction. Set the bowl over a gently simmering pan of water, making sure the base doesn’t touch the water. Add a piece of butter and stir until the yolks are slightly thickened.

3 Using a handheld electric whisk, mix in the rest of the butter, piece by piece, making sure it’s fully blended before adding the next. If the mixture starts to look oily, add a drop of the vinegar reduction or a squeeze of lemon juice.

4 Once all the butter has been added, remove from the heat and check the seasoning, adding lemon juice if necessary. The sauce should be thick but light in texture. If it is too thick, loosen with a few drops of tepid water. Keep warm by setting the bowl in a dish of hot water.

5 To assemble the dish, sit one of the muffin halves on a serving plate, top with the ham followed by the poached egg, then pour over a generous spoonful of the warm sauce. Garnish with the chopped chives and serve immediately.