Smoked Salmon Benedict

Overhead shot of salmon eggs Benedict, with hollandaise poured over top, garnished with fresh herbs.

Smoked salmon rests under a perfectly poached egg, blanketed with creamy, lemony hollandaise: a transcendent Benedict for breakfast or brunch. Stunningly simple to make, it takes only about 15 minutes to prepare!

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Prep Time 20

Total Time 20

Servings Benedicts

Calories 400kcal

Author Renee

Equipment

1 Blender
1 small sieve
1 slotted spoon
1 3-4 Quart Saucepan

Ingredients

Hollandaise Sauce

3 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 pinch cayenne or a few drops of hot sauce
½ cup salted butter

Benedicts

4 large eggs
1 tablespoon vinegar
2 ounces smoked salmon sliced thin
2 English muffins

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Poach Eggs

Start with the freshest eggs you can find. (As eggs age, the white breaks down and becomes more watery, so the fresher the egg, the more viscous the white.)
Fill a pot or deep skillet with 2 inches deep with water. Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water.
Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, and then reduce heat so that the water is just barely simmering.
There should still be bubbles on the bottom of the pan, but the surface of the water should look calm.
Crack egg into a small sieve and allow watery albumin to drain off. Don’t worry; the white and yolk will stay intact inside the sieve.
Holding the egg in the sieve just above the water, gently roll the egg out of the sieve and into the water.
Leave the egg alone.
You can put about four or five eggs into the pan at the same time, but be sure they all have enough room.
After about a minute, use a slotted spoon to unstick the egg from the bottom of the pan.
Allow the egg to cook a minute or two, and then use the slotted spoon to lift it up out of the water and gently poke it with your finger to see if it is done to your liking.
If it is done, remove it to a plate. If it needs to cook longer, simply lower it back into the water for another minute and check it again.

Easy Hollandaise Sauce

Place egg yolks, lemon juice, salt and cayenne in a blender pitcher. Pulse for a few seconds to blend.
Cut up the butter and place it in a small saucepan. Heat it until it is completely melted and foamy.
I sometimes melt the butter for this in a microwave, but if you do this, make sure that the butter is bubbling when you take it out or it won’t be hot enough to “cook” the sauce.
Start up the blender on high and uncover. Immediately start pouring the hot melted butter in a very thin stream.
I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to have patience here. Take your time!! Under no circumstances should the pouring process be rushed.
The sauce will begin to thicken before you have added all the butter.
Taste the sauce and add more lemon juice and seasonings if desired.
Hollandaise sauce should be used immediately. If it sets out too long, it will begin to solidify.

Assemble Benedicts

Split and toast English muffins.
Put one half on each plate. (Or two on each if you're hungry!) (You can butter them if you want.)
Lay a thin layer of smoked salmon on each toasted muffin half.
Top each salmon-muffin with a poached egg.
Spoon hollandaise sauce generously on top.
Serve immediately.

Notes

Our blender has a little hole at the top through which you can pour liquids while it is running. I hope that yours does too - it makes the hollandaise so much easier!

You may choose to omit the milk solids at the bottom of the butter pan, but we usually go ahead and add them.

Serves 2 or 4, depending upon how hungry you are.

For more tips and detailed instructions, check How to Make Perfect Poached Eggs and 2-Minute Blender Hollandaise Sauce.

Nutrition