One of my favourite breakfast/brunch items to order has to be Eggs Benedict. The classic is served on toasted English Muffin halves, Canadian Bacon (ham), two poached eggs, Hollandaise and crispy diner style potatoes.
It’s a hearty dish (rich) and one I order when traveling. I’ll pick up the menu, scan to see what’s available and see if there are any interesting dishes to try. Soon I am looking at the Eggs Benedict/poached eggs section of menu and I usually order the classic but I’ve ordered some interesting Benedicts with a twist: with Montreal Smoked Meat, Duck Confit, Pulled Pork, Crab Cakes, Lobster meat, Shrimp Etoufee, Spanakopita Triangles.
It’s not often that I’ll make this at home but these days, who’s traveling? My creation today is a Eggs Benedict with Pastourma. What is pastourma? It’s an air cured beef that’s finished with a spice combination mixed with a bit of water to make a paste and then rubbed all over the exterior.
It’s thinly sliced, served as a part of a meze plate or often served with eggs. I even make my own!
In keeping with the paring of eggs with pastourma, I present an ‘benedict’ with pastourma. I love it and would not hesitate to make it again!
For poaching eggs, here are some tips:
- A shallow saucepan with large surface area is best for poaching eggs.
- For poached eggs with a compact oval shape, use the freshest eggs available. Rapid boiling will cause egg to break up as it cooks.
- A few drops of vinegar will keep poached eggs compact.
- Poached eggs can be made ahead of time and held for up to two days. Undercook them slightly so that the yolks remain runny when reheated.
- Refrigerate, covered, or store in ice water, deep enough to cover eggs, until ready to use. To complete cooking, immerse in barely simmering water for 1 to 2 minutes.
Eggs Benedict With Pastourma
(serves 2)
4 large eggs
2 English muffin, halved
4-6 slices of pastourma
Hollandaise Sauce
1/2 cup melted butter (preferably clarified)
3 eggs yolks
1 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
pinch of salt
dash of Tabasco Sauce
Garnish
sweet paprika
- Add about two inches of water into a large skillet and bring up to a boil over medium-high heat. Crack your eggs and place each one in a ramekin. Add a few drops of vinegar and swirl the hot water with a spoon. Now gently drop each egg into the water, turn off the heat and cover. Allow the eggs to poach for 3-5 minutes (as soon as the whites have cooked you’re safe to remove the eggs).
- In the meantime, prepare your Hollandaise by adding the yolks, lemon juice, water, tabasco into a blender/food processor and whiz until well amalgamated. Heat your butter on your stovetop over medium heat.
- Back to your poached eggs: carefully remove with a slotted spoon and ensure excess water has drained from the eggs.
- Toast your English muffin halves and arrange pastourma slices on top.
- To finish the Hollandaise, s-l-o-w-l-y pour hot butter into your running blender/food processor until the sauce has thickened and turned to a soft yellow colour. Add a pinch of salt, adjust seasoning and spoon over the eggs.
- Garnish with sweet paprika and serve with a side my Hand Smashed Potatoes.
NOTE: Pastourma can be found at Middle Eastern, Armenian, Turkish and Greek specialty shops. Here in Toronto, I buy Armenian pastourma from Arz and Adonis.
