Eggs Benedict.....Yum!

I love breakfast. It is my favorite meal of the day and gives me what I need to make it until suppertime. One of my weaknesses for breakfast is Eggs Benedict! The reason is, there are so many variations of the dish it never gets boring. The classic eggs Benedict is made by splitting and toasting an english muffin, topping it with a piece of cooked ham or bacon, a couple of poached eggs and napping it with some hollandaise sauce. It is simply delicious!
 Most people out there only eat this dish at a restaurant because they believe it to be a daunting task to make the dish at home, well its not. Poaching an egg is really very simple.....here is how.
In a small to medium, shallow sauce pan add enough water to fill the pan two thirds full. Add to the water about 2 tbsp of vinegar (this will help prevent the disbursement of the egg white in the water). Bring the water to a simmer. In a small bowl crack an egg making sure not to break the yolk. Gently slide the egg into the simmering water and cook two and a half to three minutes. With a slotted spoon remove the egg from the water and place on top of you english muffin and ham and top it with your hollandaise sauce and enjoy.
The perfect poached egg with have a fully cooked white and a soft runny yolk. Here are some of the variations that I do to this dish.....Add different meats like prosciutto ham, a good black forest ham, sausage patties, corn beef hash, smoked salmon, fried oysters, andouille sausage. Here are some thing I use instead of meat. Diced up artichoke hearts, creamed or fresh wilted spinach, fresh sliced tomatoes, fried green tomatoes, fried potatoes and I have even used leftover roasted fresh beets!
If you are not a fan of english muffins use toast or a biscuit. I like to take a nice baguette and slice it in half and spread a little garlic butter on it and pan fry it until it is golden and then add your meat, eggs and sauce. All nicely on one piece of bread!
 Whether you make your sauce from scratch or by it in a package, here are a few tips for your hollandaise sauce.  How about folding in some crumbled, cooked chorizo sausage, have any leftover marinara, or fresh salsa? Warm it up and fold it into your sauce....The possibilities are left up to you and your tastes. So some Sunday morning when you have a little extra time on your hands, go ahead and make this classic dish and make it your own, you will be glad you did!  Enjoy

Want to know about the history of this dish follow the link:   http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eggs_Benedict