Recipe: Inn Cuisine’s Amelia Island Eggs Benedict

Now it’s time for the recipe behind the story…

If you’re a fan of eggs Benedict, love shrimp and are interested in a kicked up twist on a breakfast and brunch classic, you’re going to love Inn Cuisine’s version of Amelia Island Eggs Benedict. Named in recognition of the shrimping industry of Amelia Island and Fernandina Beach, this dish can be made using shortcuts designed to save you time and make your breakfast or brunch preparations that much easier. Prepared in stages, you won’t believe how easy it is to create an impressive breakfast in the blink of an eye.

For those of you who have never made eggs Benedict at home before, there are two things you have to master: poaching eggs and Hollandaise sauce. Neither of these are as intimidating as they may seem.

If you have no idea what it means or takes to poach an egg (a term known to inflict fear into the hearts of many a cook until they’ve performed the act at least once), rest assured, poaching eggs means little more than cooking them in hot water. And while I’ve seen, read and experimented with more than a few tricks on the poaching method, as long as you are armed with a wide saucepan or deep skillet, a pinch of salt (plus a bit of vinegar if it gives you confidence), a few inches of water and of course, eggs, you too can learn this easy method and begin poaching like a pro.

The Skinny on Poaching

Grab your favorite wide saucepan or deep skillet. Fill with approximately 2-3 inches of salted water. Bring to a boil. Optional—add 1 tablespoon of vinegar to the water (some professional chefs claim the vinegar helps the egg whites hold their shape, others claim not so much. The choice is yours.)

Reduce heat from a rolling boil to low simmer. Crack eggs onto small plates, bowls or individual cups. Lower the lip (or edge) of each plate, bowl or cup into the simmering water, allowing each egg slide out gently, one at a time, into the water. The eggs should sink, yet not stick to each other or the bottom of the saucepan or skillet. If the eggs should not initially sink on their own, simply spoon a few teaspoons of the simmering water over them. As a general rule thumb, place no more than 4 eggs in a medium-sized saucepan or skillet, or 6 eggs in a large one.

Allow the eggs to cook approximately 2-4 minutes depending on the level of texture or firmness desired. Alternatively, you can cover the saucepan or skillet tightly with a lid after adding the eggs and turn off the heat, allowing eggs to cook 3-5 minutes. When eggs have reached desired firmness, remove them from water, one at a time, using a slotted spoon. Allow excess water to drain. Place eggs on a plate to prepare for serving, or in a bowl of cool water to halt the cooking process. If necessary, briefly place cooled or previously poached & refrigerated eggs in a bowl of hot water prior to serving. Perfectly poached eggs should be served warm and soft.

If you prefer, feel welcome to try poaching eggs using mason jar rings, egg rings or even shallow cups, versus chancing it free form. You can also create a vortex by stirring the water rapidly in circles before sliding the eggs in one at a time. As the vortex sends each egg out to the side of the pan, slide in another. Creating a vortex while adding eggs is designed to act in the manner of adding vinegar to the water—to encourage the egg whites to remain solid and form nicely around the yolk. I’ve not found using vinegar or a vortex a necessity, but again, the choice is yours.

A Word About Hollandaise

When it comes to recreational cooks, there typically exists two camps: those who insist on doing everything by the book, and those who don’t. Whether you are an exact, never-stray-from-a-recipe type of cook or the I-don’t-mind-using-shortcuts variety, you have the option of making Hollandaise sauce from scratch or using one of the pre-packaged, dry mix, envelope varieties.

While I heartily compliment and admire any cook who has the desire, time or willingness to clarify butter and make Hollandaise from scratch early in the morning (it’s not hard, just time consuming), there is absolutely nothing wrong with turning to a dry mix in times of need. In fact, allowing yourself to use the occasional shortcut often means you’ll end up making a special dish more (versus less) often, as well as open yourself up to a world of new possibilities—especially when you’re pressed for time (B&B owners, you know who you are).

That said, for those of you who feel so inclined or prefer purity in recipes, I’m providing five great(1) links(2) for creating Hollandaise(3) sauce(4) from scratch(5). And for those of you agreeable to shortcuts, grab yourself an envelope of Knorr (or any preferred brand of mix, like McCormick), and get to whisking! After all, we’ve got Island Eggs Benedict to make (and enjoy)!

Inn Cuisine’s Island Eggs Benedict

The trick to this (and any) recipe, is to have all your necessary equipment and ingredients gathered, precooked and prepared ahead of time, so you can cook, assemble and serve most easily. The French call this practice mise en place, and it will simplify your cooking endeavors greatly. If you’re not already in the habit of practicing mise en place, start now. The time and headaches it saves is remarkable.

What you will need to create 4 servings of Island Eggs Benedict:

• 2 English muffins, halved, of your favorite variety: sourdough, whole grain, etc.
• fresh cilantro, rinsed and dried
• 4 strips of cooked bacon, halved (I prefer peppered bacon in this recipe, but feel free to experiment)
• 4 poached eggs, kept soft, warm and dry
• fresh Hollandaise sauce (with a dash of cayenne)
• diced, cooked shrimp (using reheated, leftover shrimp (grilled the night before) works perfectly)
• fresh pico de gallo

Assembly

Toast each half of the English muffins and center on individual serving plates. Top with sprigs of fresh cilantro.

Take 2 halves of bacon and cross in the center of each English muffin, on top of the cilantro.

Top with a perfectly poached egg.

Drizzle (not drown) with warm, fresh Hollandaise sauce.

Top Hollandaise with bits of cut-up, precooked shrimp (grilled shrimp adds a nice smoky flavor).

Top with a few teaspoons of fresh pico de gallo for flavor. Garnish plate with extra sprigs of cilantro.

Serve warm & enjoy!

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