Not Eggs Benedict

With all those eggs in the fridge, I woke up this morning with an irresistible craving for Eggs Benedict. Could you resist those yummy poached eggs on English muffins, generously smothered with lemon-buttery Hollandaise sauce for breakfast?

Quick run through my fridge! With my luck, no butter, no lemon left! No English muffins either! With only 2 cups of whipping cream and pickled capers, I had to be creative…

And breakfast actually turned out just as it was supposed to…scrumptious.

Ingredients for 2 servings:

4 slices of bread, toasted

4 large eggs

2 slices ham or mortadella

3 large egg yolks

1½ tablespoons cold water

½ cup and 2 tablespoons whipping cream

¼ cup grated Asiago cheese

2 tablespoons capers

Salt and pepper to taste

1. Starting with the sauce, separate the egg yolks into a bowl and whisk in the cold water until light and frothy.

2. Bring some water to a gentle simmer over medium high heat in a saucepan.

3. Place the bowl on top of the hot water.

4. Continually whisk the eggs for 5 to 10 mins, until thickened.

5. Remove the bowl from the heat and whisk to cool.

6. Slowly add the cream while whisking.

7. Incorporate the cheese (Note: I put the bowl over the double boiler to slightly melt the cheese).

8. Add the capers and season.

9. Reserve the sauce over the warm water while poaching the eggs.

10. Toast the bread and layer the cold cuts on the slices.

11. Bring some water to a boil over high heat in another saucepan.

12. Once the water is boiling, poach the eggs (i.e. break each egg into a ladle, slowly dip the ladle into the boiling water to keep the white around the yolk, and transfer the poached egg onto a slotted spoon.)

13. Transfer the drained eggs onto the cold cuts.

14. Pour the reserved sauce atop and serve immediately.