Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon and Dill Hollandaise

Ingredients

• Dill Hollandaise Sauce:
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 3 large egg yolks
• 2 tablespoons water
• Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
• Fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 12 large eggs
• 6 large croissants, cut in half and lightly toasted
• 1/2 pound sliced smoked salmon
• 2 ounces salmon caviar (optional)

Directions

To make the dill hollandaise sauce: In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat. Set aside. Reserve 6 dill sprigs for garnish and finely chop the remainder. Set aside. Put the egg yolks and 2 tablespoons water in a large heatproof bowl. Fill a pan (large enough to accommodate the bowl) with water to the halfway point. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Rest the bowl of egg yolks in the top of the pan, about ito 2 inches above the water. Season lightly with salt and pepper. With a flexible, medium whisk, stir the yolks constantly until the mixture starts to thicken, about 5 minutes. (If a double boiler is used, the water should barely be simmering so as not to scramble the yolks.) Once the egg yolks are between lightly thickened and soft, remove the bowl from the pan and put it on a countertop, resting the base on a wet towel formed into a ring to secure it in place. Whisk small ladles of the warm butter into the thickened yolk mixture, making sure that each addition is completely incorporated before adding more. Once all the butter is incorporated, add the Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco sauce, a few drops of lemon juice, and the chopped dill. Season with salt and pepper and keep warm either on or near the stove while poaching the eggs.

To poach the eggs: Fill a large, shallow pan with water to a depth of 2 inches. Bring to a simmer and add the vinegar. Working with 6 eggs, crack the eggs one at a time and gently slide them into the water. Do not allow the water to boil. Once the whites have set and the yolks are glazed but still soft, about 4 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove each egg to a large plate. Repeat with the remaining 6 eggs, adding them to the same plate. Remove the pan from the heat. If the eggs cool before serving, rewarm them in the hot water or in a 250-degree F oven for 5 minutes.

To plate: Gently blot the eggs with a paper towel to remove any excess water. Place 1 split croissant, cut-side up, on each of 6 warmed plates. Cover generously with smoked salmon. Place a warm poached egg on each croissant half and nap with the dill hollandaise to cover. Garnish each egg with a dollop of salmon caviar, if using, and a sprig of dill.

Submitted 6/17/06.
Source: Smoked Salmon
Submitted By: L Mandrake

Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon and Dill Hollandaise