Sunday Eggs Benny

Keith can out-do in me in just about everything. Much as I love him, I have to admit, it gets a little tired. I don't usually even bother trying to best him anymore. The kitchen is one of the few areas where I can actually hold my own but I don't like to share kitchen space with him at all. (It's not just my competitive spirit....Keith is a joyously messy cook.) 

This is one of the few joint culinary efforts we can attempt without a fight...and worth every bit of the ensuing mess. It only works because I am done and out of the kitchen before he is in...I contribute the muffin base and he piles on the layers and layers of artery-hardening goodness. While he's making the sauce, I pick the fresh tarragon and parsley and before I have a chance to get all wound up about the sauce splatter, crumbs and bacon grease, we're eating.

Keith's Eggs Benny are EPIC. He uses thick-cut smoked bacon (and sometimes king crab), cheddar cheese and rather than stopping at hollandaise, he adds fresh, garden tarragon and makes a creamy bearnaise sauce...which I LOVE. I don't know why more people don't use bearnaise for everything...it adds a layer of flavour that's subtle and amazingly good.

For my part...

I have tried other English muffin recipes and have been disappointed with the results. The flavour is usually good but the crumb is light and small. I like a larger crumb, like you find in a store-bought muffin, so all the melted butter, egg yolk and bearnaise sauce can pool in the pockets...

Alton Brown's English Muffin recipe is pretty much the best I can find...it's reproduced here without his permission...so don't tell. There are only a couple of places this recipe can go south...keep the warm water for the yeast below 110 degrees...and make sure the griddle or pan isn't too hot...the muffins will be doughy if they brown too quickly. Also, I would suggest spraying some cooking spray on the utensil that you use to scoop out the dough...it's really sticky and messy otherwise. 

Alton Brown's English Muffins

• 1/2 cup non-fat powdered milk 

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon shortening
• 1 cup hot water
• 1 envelope dry yeast
• 1/8 teaspoon sugar
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
• Non-stick vegetable spray
• Special equipment: electric griddle, 3-inch metal rings (Tuna cans with tops and bottoms removed will work.)

In a bowl combine the powdered milk, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, shortening, and hot water, stir until the sugar and salt are dissolved. Let cool. In a separate bowl combine the yeast and 1/8 teaspoon of sugar in 1/3 cup of warm water and rest until yeast has dissolved. Add this to the dry milk mixture. Add the sifted flour and beat thoroughly with wooden spoon. Cover the bowl and let it rest in a warm spot for 30 minutes.

Preheat the griddle to 300 degrees F.

Add the remaining 1/2 teaspoon of salt to mixture and beat thoroughly. Place metal rings onto thegriddle and coat lightly with vegetable spray. Using #20 ice cream scoop, place 2 scoops into each ring and cover with a pot lid or cookie sheet and cook for 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the lid and flip rings using tongs. Cover with the lid and cook for another 5 to 6 minutes or until golden brown. Place on a cooling rack, remove rings and cool. Split with fork and serve.

So now...for Keith's part. I'll just get it over with and tell you that we CHEAT with the bearnaise sauce. We buy a hollandaise sauce mix (Knorr is our favourite) and add a couple of tablespoons of fresh tarragon...I'll wear the crown of shame but by the time Keith is ready to eat on Sundays, I am famished and I don't even care a little bit if we're cutting corners.

We cook for two...you'll have to modify based on your own brunch requirements but it's all pretty simple from here... soft fry a couple pieces of thick, smoked bacon for each half of the muffin and set it aside. Meanwhile, prepare the hollandaise...add a few tablespoons of chopped, fresh tarragon

To make these insanely good, add a few ounces of king crab meat...but sadly for this post...we're going with the basic, killer-good version. Break open two english muffins top with slices of old cheddar cheese and heap with bacon. Add poached eggs (as you like 'em) and then smother with bearnaise sauce. Happy Sunday!