You know, I really thought that being alone with the cats for four days would be kind of boring and lonely, but so far it’s been pretty great. I’ve completely caught up on sleep, been to the movies, satisfied my craving for lobster rolls, spent an entire guilt-free afternoon shopping at Crate & Barrel and The Container Store, and enjoyed a delicious steak dinner with friends. AND, there’s no one around to yell at me when I decide to watch four straight hours of the Big Bang Theory. A girl could really get used to this kind of lifestyle…
Since Dan doesn’t like runny eggs, they rarely make an appearance in our house. BUT, since he’s not here right now I decided to take advantage of the moment and treat myself to a delicious breakfast of poached eggs. Specifically, poached eggs drenched in hollandaise sauce, on top of homemade crab cakes, over buttery, toasted English muffins. Mmmmmmm.
Every time I eat poached eggs I think of Amy Adams’ character in Julie & Julia, who refused to eat runny eggs because she assumed they would be slimy and gross. But, when she finally worked up the nerve to try them she discovered that they were actually silky and wonderful and tasted like yummy cheese sauce. That’s pretty much how I feel about poached eggs. They’re so much tastier than they look and when you throw hollaindaise sauce, meats, and bread products into the mix you get something that is mind blowing-ly delicious and satisfying. Dan doesn’t know what he’s missing…
Eggs Chesapeake (Hollaindaise sauce adapted from Katherine Martinelli’s recipe)
Ingredients:
– Two crab cakes (made from recipe found here)
– 1 English muffin, sliced in half and toasted
– 1 tsp vinegar
– 1 stick butter, melted
– 2 whole egg + 3 egg yolks
– 1 tbsp lemon juice
– Salt to taste
Steps:
(1) To poach your eggs, bring 2 inches of water + vinegar to a rolling boil in a high-sided pot, then lower heat so that water is just simmering.
(2) Crack your eggs into separate ramekins.
(3) Using a spatula, create a whirlpool in the center of your hot water. Using your other hand, gently ease one egg into the water, allowing egg whites to wrap over the egg yolk. Allow egg to to cook to desired consistency (egg whites should be opaque and white, yolks should be liquid but firm enough to be moved), then lift out of the water with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel. Repeat with other egg.
(4) Place one crab cake on each half of a tasted English muffin.
(5) Place one poached egg on top of each crab cake. Set aside and get working on your hollaindaise sauce.
(6) Melt the butter in the microwave. Skim the fat off the surface and set aside to cool slightly.
(7) Put egg yolks in a heat-proof bowl and whisk until fully beaten.
(8) Place the bowl over a small pot filled with about 1-inch of water.
(9) Bring water to a simmer and whisk egg yolks continually until they are lightened in color, doubled in volume, and thick (do not allow the water to boil, and be careful not to scramble the yolks).
(10) Lower the heat, and keep whisking the yolks.
(11) Slowly add melted butter, whisking constantly.
** If you notice that the sauce begins to look grainy and slightly curdled, that is an indication that it is about to break. Immediately stop what you are doing and add a splash of cool water. Whisk vigorously until completely smooth. Resume adding butter.
(12) Once the butter is fully incorporated, add a dash of salt and whisk in lemon juice.
(13) Taste and add more salt and/or lemon juice as desired.
(14) Remove from the heat and spoon on top of eggs.
(15) Enjoy immediately, with lots of mimosas.
Sounds like an awesome few days! Being alone can be nice sometimes. This crab cake/Chesapeake Benedict looks amaaaaazing!!!!! Oh. Wow. I’m so glad you liked my hollandaise sauce recipe 😀 I can’t wait to try this soon!
Thank YOU for the recipe! It was one of the the easiest and most delicious hollaindaise sauces I’ve ever tried 🙂
wow! And I thought my brunch this morning looked good. That looks like perfection. Sorry to hear about Dan’s fear of runny egg yolks. I think that might have been a dealbreaker for me.
If Dan is out of town, does that mean you drank both glasses of champagne yourself? 😉
Yeah lucky for Dan I discovered my love of runny eggs well into the relationship, otherwise…And yes, I totally drank both glasses of champagne myself. Can’t let perfectly good booze go to waste! That may or may not be why my plans to get a lot of work done today did not happen…
These are superb! I can only imagine the goodness; love runny yolks! Really great that you did find things for you to enjoy!
Rita
Thanks, Rita 🙂
i’ve been wanting to try a hollandaise sauce…you have definitely inspired me! beautiful dish!
Thanks! And good luck 🙂
yummm i want to eat my computer screen!
🙂
Lush.
Whatever man. You would have done the same. Can’t let champagne go to waste!
I’m just jealous. Crab cakes plus champagne sounds divine.
Crab cakes. For breakfast. Just let me think about that again. Crab cakes! For breakfast! I’m so there… I am featuring this post in today’s Friday Food Fetish roundup (with a link-back and attribution), but please let me know if you have any objections. It’s a pleasure following your creations…
No objections, thank you for reading 🙂
Reminds me of fond memories of having breakfast overlooking Lake Okanagan at The Grand Okanagan in Kelowna….first time I had ever had a crabcake eggs benedict. Would repeat that exp. every chance possible…hmmm, maybe this Sunday? Yes! : D
Good idea!
Wow wow wow !
Merci 🙂
Crab cakes.Poached eggs.Hollaindaise sauce.*STUNNING* combination!
Amazing recipe,and interestingly,rather simple!Intriguing how it can be served for breakfast,or I would say even weekend brunch,and everyone would think a lot of time has been spent on it!:-)
The pictures are gorgeous!I am sure everyone would have put their hands inside their laptop screens and pulled out that plate had it been possible,hehe.
I am going to bookmark/note this down!Thank you lots for sharing!:-)