Eggsellence

Have you ever wondered what God has for breakfast? Eggs Benedict.

Firstly, it contains everything that's good in the world. Ham, eggs, bread, butter, cream and some spinach to make you feel less guilty about the ham, eggs, bread, butter and cream. Secondly, it contains a miracle. 

I'm talking about Hollandaise sauce. You see, it really shouldn't work. But thanks to God, it does. More specifically, it works thanks to the triple threat of three emulsifiers (lemon juice, mustard and egg yolks).  Everyone knows if you shake up a mixture of oil and water they'll temporarily mix, but pretty soon the oil droplets will stick together again, thereby separating the two once more. To keep them separated you need an emulsifier. Half of the emulsifier hates water and embeds itself in the oil, but the other end is drawn to water so it sticks out of the oil into the water, thereby preventing the oil from sticking together. A miracle.   

And if that doesn't impress you, watch this. The sauce will probably curdle because, like God, it likes to occasionally torture you. Don't despair. Add a humble egg yolk and you will hear angels sing as it comes together in a glorious silky miracle. 

Amazing. Someone really should give That Man a Bells...

xx

J   

EGGS BENEDICT

50g Butter

3 Eggs

1/2T Lemon juice

Pinch of English mustard

1T Cream

1 English muffin

1c Baby spinach

2 Slices good ham

To poach the eggs, you can be really good and do the water twirly stuff. Or you can cheat and put clingwrap in a cup, spray or rub with oil then break the egg into it. Tie it at the top. Cook in very slowly simmering water until done to your taste. In the meantime melt the butter in the microwave. Beat together 1 egg yolk, the lemon juice, cream and mustard and season. Stir into the melted butter. Heat in the microwave for 10s at a time, stirring and checking carefully to ensure it doesn't split. If it does, you know what to do. Slice the muffin in half and toast. Wilt the spinach. To assemble layer the spinach, ham then egg. Season and pour over the hollandaise. And thank God.