Eggs Benedict with Asparagus

OK, so this isn't technically Eggs Benedict, which is served on half an English muffin with ham, but it is very similar. The asparagus is optional, but I think that it goes well with the Canadian bacon and hollandaise. This is my favorite breakfast item, and I have been thinking about making it ever since noticing leftover asparagus in our refrigerator.

Apparently there are at least 2 different types of Canadian bacon. The first is bacon prepared from pork loin (mine was this kind - an uncured, applewood smoked pork loin, that was sold fully cooked). The second is a type of smoked ham. I think either kind would work here, as would regular ham or bacon (cooked to your desired crispiness). I like the thickness of the Canadian bacon myself.

Instead of an English muffin I used a Czech Crescent Roll - from a batch I made following the recipe in 'Local Breads'. You could use an English muffin or similar roll. I would suggest toasting it lightly for texture. On top of the muffin base goes the warm, cooked Canadian bacon, then a poached egg (cooked to your chosen doneness - see below), then some boiled asparagus spears (see below) and some hollandaise sauce over the top. I topped that with the other half of the roll, but I understand that Eggs Benedict are not supposed to have 'lids' (they are served 'open-faced'), so this is optional.

Poached eggs

Bring a fairly deep pot of salted water (to which a small glug of vinegar has been added) to a boil. Crack your eggs separately into small bowls. One at a time, hold the bowl just over the surface of the water and tip the egg in. Adjust the heat to maintain a strong simmer (a rolling boil is a little more than you need), and cook until they are to your liking. I do not time them; I pull one up with a slotted spoon after a few minutes and poke it with my finger. Once cooked, remove, drain and keep warm.

Asparagus

Break off the woody ends and discard. Either cut off the tips now and reserve the stalk for another use, or cook and then cut. Put the spears in a pan of boiling salted water and cook until done. Some people prefer their asparagus a little crunchy; I cook mine until it is tender. Once done, drain and keep warm.

Hollandaise Sauce

Melt 6 oz butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Turn up the heat slightly so that it bubbles occasionally. Remove the white scum as it forms on the surface (discard). Once you have removed all the scum you should have a yellow liquid with white solids at the bottom. Carefully pour the clarified butter into another container, leaving the (milk) solids in the pan.

Set up a double boiler. You can buy a special double boiler pan or you can use a small pan with some water in the bottom and a metal bowl on top (I used this). Remove the bowl and bring the water to a simmer and then reduce the heat.

In the bowl, put 1.5 tsp cider vinegar and 2 tsp water. Add 1 egg yolk and a pinch of salt. Put the bowl on top of the small pan and whisk until the liquid thickens noticeably (until the whisk starts to leave light trails in it). Then remove from the heat and slowly dribble in 3 oz of your clarified butter, whisking constantly. You will see the hollandaise thicken as you do so. After you have added the butter, add a splash of lemon juice and a dash of cayenne pepper. Taste and adjust seasoning with more salt, cayenne and/or lemon as necessary.

Pour your hollandaise sauce over your assembled Eggs Benedict. Enjoy!

Note 1 - The hollandaise recipe was adapted from 'Ratio', by Michael Ruhlman - a very useful cookbook. It should be enough for about 4 servings.

Note 2 - Metric Info: 6 oz = 170g; 3 oz = 85g.

Potstickers

Today I had a hankering for potstickers. Potstickers are Asian dumplings that are browned in oil in a pan, then liquid is added, the pot is covered and they finish cooking by steaming. You could make whatever filling you like for the potstickers. I like to use ground pork.

Start by mixing 10 oz ground pork with 1 scallion, sliced, a small piece (1/4 inch) of ginger, peeled and grated, 1 clove of garlic, minced, a splash of sesame oil, a pinch of salt, a grinding of black pepper and 1 tsp Chinese five spice powder.

Set out some wonton wrappers (found in the refrigerated section of the supermarket, with the tofu - you can use square or round, but round is probably better) and place a small piece of filling in the middle. Wet the edges of the wrapper with water and fold the wrapper in half, sealing in the filling. If you are using the square wrappers, you can cut off the corners and press around the edges to seal.

To cook, get a lidded pan warm on medium heat. Add a little oil, swirl it around to coat the pan, and then add your potstickers, spacing them out. Allow them to get a nice browned crust on the bottoms, then add a small amount (about 1/4 cup) of water and add the lid quickly. Be careful - it will steam. Allow it to continue to steam for a few minutes until the liquid is all evaporated (keep an eye on the pan and check it when the steam stops - if you let it sit, the potstickers will burn). Carefully remove the potstickers from the pan and serve with a dipping sauce.

A simple sauce might have some soy sauce, a little chili (you could use sriracha, chili or red pepper flakes or fresh chili), a pinch of sugar and a little acid (you could use rice vinegar or lime juice). Adjust the amount of all of these components to your taste.

Note 1 - This recipe makes enough potstickers to serve 3 people as a generous-sized appetizer. If you make more than you need, they can be frozen (flour them if they are at all damp; a zip-lock bag is a good container to use).

Note 2 - If you do not have five spice powder, you can omit it from the recipe.

Note 3 - Metric info: 10 oz = 280 g; 1/4 inch = about 5 mm; 1/4 cup = 60 ml.

Roast Pork with Herbes de Provence, Apples and Cider

This recipe is very loosely based around a Roast Pork and Cider recipe from the Brittany region of France, found in 'The World of Food: Provincial France' by Monique Guillaume.

I used a 1.1 lb pork tenderloin. Start by brining it in 5 cups of water and 3 tbsp salt. I left it in the brine for about 2 hrs (longer would have been better; overnight ideal), and then dried it off, cleaned it (removing the whitish 'silverskin' and most of the fat) and sprinkled it generously with salt, pepper and dried Herbes de Provence (a blend from the south of France, typically: basil, fennel seed, lavender, marjoram, rosemary, sage, savory, thyme).

Take 3 large apples, remove the cores and cut each into 6 segments. Use these to line the bottom of a small (8x11 inch) roasting pan.

Preheat the oven to 350 F and put a large pan (large enough to hold the whole tenderloin) on medium heat. Once hot, add a little oil to the pan, swirl it around and place the tenderloin in the pan. Leave it in long enough to sear (brown) the side in contact with the pan, then turn to sear the next 'side'. This took two turns for my tenderloin to sear 3 sides. Once seared all around, remove from the pan. Add 1.5 cups apple cider to the pan, and stir to dissolve any browned pieces on the bottom. Boil the cider for about 5 minutes, and then pour it over the apples in the roasting pan. Place the tenderloin on top of the apples and put the pan in the oven. Roast for 30 minutes, then check for doneness, and roast longer if necessary. My 1.1 lb tenderloin took 40 minutes to reach well-done.

Once the pork is done, let it rest for about 10 minutes (remove from the roasting pan and set on a plate, covered loosely with foil). The resting allows the juices to distribute evenly through the meat, reducing the amount lost when you slice it.

I served the pork with garlic roasted potatoes and sauteed brussels sprouts. I drained the cider from the bottom of the roasting pan and boiled it for about 5 minutes on high to reduce it, then swirled in about 1/2 tbsp of butter. This was then used to sauce the dish. It was enough food for 2 adults and a small child.

Garlic Roasted Potatoes - wash your potatoes (I figure one good-sized potato per person) and cut into 1 inch pieces. Toss with a generous slug of olive oil, some salt and pepper and a garlic clove (crushed and cut into small pieces). Pour everything into a small roasting dish (or onto a baking tray), and roast until tender (30-45 minutes).

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts - remove the bottom of the stem of each sprout. Remove and discard the outer darker green leaves. Cut in half lengthwise, and drop into boiling salted water. Allow to boil 5 minutes, then drain. Drop into a preheated pan with butter and a little seasoning. Saute until lightly browned.

Note #1: Brining the pork is not necessary, but it is recommended. It will give you juicier results.

Note #2: I used apple cider for this recipe. Hard (alcoholic) cider could be substituted if desired.

Note #3: I used red delicious apples. They were red but not so delicious.
I would recommend a more tart apple (e.g. Granny Smith) or maybe pears instead.

Note #4: Metric info: 1.1 lb = 500g; 1.5 cups = 350ml.