Eggs Benedict: The Classic New York Recipe

The History of Eggs Benedict

• Despite what the French name suggests, Eggs Benedict has nothing to do with someone named Bénédicte. In fact, the dish honors a man instead.
• In English, the dish is called Eggs Benedict, named after Lemuel Benedict. This former New York stock exchange broker discovered the dish one day in 1892 at Delmonico’s, a restaurant near Wall Street. He loved it so much that when he stayed at the Waldorf Astoria hotel, he mentioned it to Oscar Tschirky, the maître d’hôtel. Oscar Tschirky, who was also a skilled cook, refined the recipe and created this American breakfast classic: poached eggs served on English muffins, topped with hollandaise sauce and accompanied by bacon.
• Oscar Tschirky had a talent for creating dishes. Try another of his recipes: Waldorf Salad. But first, here’s how to make Eggs Benedict.

Ingredients for 4 servings

• 4 English muffins, or flat muffins, split in half and toasted.
• 8 whole eggs for poaching.
• 3 egg yolks for the hollandaise sauce.
• 125 ml (½ cup) melted butter.
• 1 to 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar.
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice.
• 8 slices back bacon, also called Canadian bacon. You can substitute with bone-in ham or smoked ham.
• Salt and pepper.

Preparation Steps

• 1/ Preheat your oven to 70°C (160°F).

• 2/ Split the muffins in half and toast them. Place them in the oven.

• 3/ Warm the bacon or ham in a skillet and place it in the oven.

• 4/ Prepare the poached eggs. Bring water to a simmer in a tall saucepan.

• 5/ Crack the eggs one at a time into a fine-mesh strainer to drain excess liquid. This prevents stringy bits from forming during cooking. Transfer each egg into an individual ramekin. You’ll need 8 ramekins total.

• 6/ Add 2 tablespoons of vinegar to the simmering water and use a spoon to create a whirlpool.

• 7/ Slide the eggs into the swirling water. Cook the poached eggs 2 at a time for best results.

• 8/ Cook for 3 minutes.

• 9/ Remove the eggs from the water with a slotted spoon and place them on a clean, dry kitchen towel.

• 10/ While the eggs cook, prepare the hollandaise sauce in a double boiler by mixing the lemon juice and 3 egg yolks. Season with salt and pepper, then whisk in the melted butter.

• 11/ Let it thicken over the double boiler, stirring constantly, for 10 minutes.

• 12/ Plate your Eggs Benedict. Place 2 toasted muffin halves in the center of the plate, then top with bacon, a poached egg, and hollandaise sauce. Enjoy!

Send us a photo of your eggs!

• Feel free to contact me if you’d like to share a recipe. My email: patricia@cnewyork

Eggs Benedict is a brunch classic! (Photo DR)