Lori Caso, the host of Lori and Friends cooking and local info show invited me to highlight my food paintings and cook with her this week. The show will be aired on the local cable access in Lewiston-Lockport NY channel 20, three times a week in June and July.
I wanted to bring my painting about making asparagus and Hollandaise (or Bearnaise), so I tested a blender Hollandaise and wrote an efficient step by step method, so easy and efficient that even a beginnger can make Eggs Benedict with Asparagus for Four Persons in under an hour. Making Blender Hollandaise this way is faster than making toast!!
Because it is a step by step detailed method, it looks long, but it is fast!
Efficient Blender Hollandaise, Eggs Benedict and Asparagus
Michelle Marcotte for Lori and Friends
Here is an efficient, simplified method for making Eggs Benedict and Asparagus for Four Persons
Ingredients for Hollandaise for Four Persons:
2 large egg yolks
2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 shakes of Cayenne pepper
2 ½ sticks of salted or unsalted butter
(if using unsalted butter you will need ¼ tsp salt)
Ingredients for Eggs Benedict with Asparagus for Four persons:
8 eggs
8 slices Canadian (Back) bacon
4 English muffins
16 fat asparagus spears
Small amount of butter to grease the egg poacher cups
Are you only cooking for two persons? If so divide all amounts in half and I think the Hollandaise will still work.
Specialized equipment needed:
Blender.
Egg poacher saucepan where the eggs are poached in small egg cups.
Method. In this order:
Fill the blender container with hot water and leave filled to pre-warm it.
Separate 2 large eggs, reserve whites for another use and leave yolks on counter to bring to room temp.
Select fat asparagus spears, wash and snap the bottoms off. Tidy up the bottoms by slicing on an angle.
Juice ½ of a lemon.
Spray Pam on egg poaching cups or place ¼ tsp of butter in the bottom of each egg cup.
Fill bottom of egg poacher saucepan with 1.5 inches of water and set to boil.
Spray a frypan with Pam or lightly coat with oil.
Place slices Canadian (Back) bacon in the frypan.
Slice English muffins.
Place 2+ ½ sticks of butter (salted or unsalted) into a 4 or 6 cup measuring cup. Place in microwave.
When water in egg poacher saucepan is boiling place 8 asparagus spears in bottom, cover with egg poacher insert and cover. Adjust temperature to simmer. Time for exactly 5 minutes.
Turn heat on high on the Canadian (Back) bacon. Cook 3 minutes. (There should be brown spots). Turn and cook 3 minutes more, then turn temperature to low.
Melt butter in microwave. It should be hot.
After 5 minutes, place one large egg in each egg poaching cup and cover. Time for exactly 3 minutes.
Empty hot water out of blender container, quickly dry with towel.
Place 2 large egg yolks in blender with 2 tablespoons lemon juice (measure exactly), and 2 shakes of cayenne pepper. Blend until thick and foamy.
Drop English muffins in toaster.
Remove the small entry hole in the blender container cover. If melted butter has cooled, reheat for 30 seconds in microwave. Drizzle hot melted butter through the hole while the blender is on. Stop when all the butter is added and the Hollandaise is as thick as mayonnaise.
Taste Hollandaise. If you have used unsalted butter you will need to add salt.
Place one half of toasted English muffins on each of four plates, top with a slice of Canadian bacon. Top with a poached egg. Place two asparagus spears on each plate. Top with a couple of generous dollops of Hollandaise (or more).
Now, as plates are being served, begin again.
Immediately drop 8 asparagus spears in the simmering water in the saucepan. Time for 5 minutes while eating the first serving!
Then add eggs to poaching cups and time for 3 minutes.
Repeat the plating procedure.
The Hollandaise will stay hot in the blender container or if there will be a delay, place it in a Thermos jug. Or stand the blender container in a big bowl of hot water. Once cooled there is no way to re-heat Hollandaise!
