EGGS BENEDICT

THIS IS THE THING THAT HAS BEEN MISSING FROM MY LIFE FOR 11 MONTHS.

I spent all of Saturday on an Eggs Benedict high, savored every bite, patted myself on the back, then laid down and day dreamed about HOW GOOD EB is.

How I poached the eggs:
I brought a big pot of water to boil, and added a few tablesoons of vinegar to help keep the egg together. Once it boiled, I turned the burner off and waited for it to slow to a simmer. I cracked an egg into a small teacup being sure not to break the yolk, and then slowly dipped the lip of the cup into the water and let the egg slide out. I took a spoon and gently gathered the egg together, and then put the lid on the pot and waited about 3 minutes. the yolk of the first egg was medium and the second was easy.

The Hollandaise:
Scaled down for one person, this sauce came together really quickly. Whisk one egg yolk with 1/3 Tbs lemon juice, and a pinch of salt pepper and cayenne if you have it. Put over medium heat and add about 30g of butter cut into chunks. Whisk constantly while butter melts, then cook to desired thickness and serve immediately. My version used less butter than the original recipe called for, but it was still the perfect consistency and really let the lemon flavor shine through.

I'm not going to lie -- it was super tricky to time everything right. I toasted the bread and fried the ham while waiting for the water to boil, then stuck them in the oven to stay warm while I moved onto the real cooking. I made sure the yolk/lemon mixture was ready and whisked before I put in the eggs to poach, and then after the lid was on them I put the sauce on. It came together more deliciously than I could have imagined!