MUSHROOM EGGS BENEDICT

Mushroom eggs benedict image

Shine a light on the earthy flavour of mushrooms with this eggs benedict. Brilliant for brunch, it's great with seasonal mushrooms, such as porcini and ceps

Provided by Esther Clark

Time 45m

Number Of Ingredients 13

Ingredients

1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp unsalted butter
250g mixed mushrooms (or use portobello)
1 small garlic clove, crushed
150g spinach or chard, roughly chopped
4 eggs
2 large, thick slices of sourdough or 2 English muffins, toasted
small handful of chopped chives or tarragon
40ml white wine vinegar, plus extra for the ramekin
5 peppercorns
1 bay leaf
2 egg yolks (freeze the whites for another recipe)
100g unsalted butter, melted

Steps:

Heat the oil and butter in a frying pan over a medium heat until foaming, then fry the mushrooms for 10 mins until just golden brown. Add the garlic and spinach and fry for 5 mins more, then season with salt and black pepper and set aside.
To make the hollandaise, tip the vinegar, peppercorns, bay leaf and 40ml water into a small pan. Simmer over a low heat until the liquid has reduced by two-thirds. Remove from the heat and set aside.
Fill a large pan a third full with water and bring to a gentle simmer. Whisk the egg yolks with 1 tbsp of the vinegar mixture in a heatproof bowl for 3-5 mins until just aerated. Set the bowl over the simmering water and slowly drizzle in the melted butter, whisking until all the butter has been incorporated and the mixture has emulsified. Remove from the heat and taste for seasoning. Add a little more of the vinegar mixture or salt and pepper, if you like.
Bring a pan of lightly salted water to the boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Wipe a little vinegar around a small ramekin using kitchen paper, then crack in one of the whole eggs. Swirl the simmering water using a wooden spoon and wait for the vortex to begin to subside. When it does, gently tip the egg into the middle and cook for 3 mins. Scoop out onto a plate using a slotted spoon, then repeat with the remaining eggs. Reheat the mushrooms over a low heat, then pile these on top of the toast. Top with the poached eggs, hollandaise and chives or tarragon.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 648 calories, Fat 47 grams fat, SaturatedFat 22 grams saturated fat, Carbohydrate 26 grams carbohydrates, Sugar 3 grams sugar, Fiber 3 grams fiber, Protein 27 grams protein, Sodium 1.2 milligram of sodium