Eggs Benedict

This is a perfect brunch for a lazy weekend or perhaps a breakfast on Christmas Day if you're eating your meal later in the day. I've always been afraid to try hollandaise sauce, but this recipe was very striaghtforwrd. It will no longer be something I only have for a hotel breakfast.  The recipe is from the BBC good food website.

Ingredients

Serves 2 
4 Eggs
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 English muffins, halved
a little butter for spreading
8 slices smoked salmon or ham
chopped chives, to serve

For the hollandaise sauce
2 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp white wine vinegar
3 egg yolks
125g unsalted butter, diced

Method

1. First make the Hollandaise sauce. Put the lemon juice and vinegar in a small bowl, add the egg yolks and whisk with a balloon whisk until light and frothy. Place the bowl over a pan of simmering water and whisk until mixture thickens. Gradually add the butter, whisking constantly until thick – if it looks like it might be splitting, then whisk off the heat for a few mins. Season and keep warm.
2. To poach the eggs, bring a large pan of water to the boil and add the vinegar. Lower the heat so that the water is simmering gently. Stir the water so you have a slight whirlpool, then slide in the eggs one by one. Cook each for about 4 mins, then remove with a slotted spoon.
3. Lightly toast and butter the muffins, then put a couple of slices of salmon on each half. Top each with an egg, spoon over some Hollandaise and garnish with chopped chives.