Delia Smith’s Egg Benedict Recipe

Delia Smith's Eggs Benedict (credit Delia Smith)

The ideal breakfast in bed for mum, let the queen of cuisine, Delia Smith, be your sous chef this Mother’s Day.

Ingredients

For the sauce

  • 2 large eggs, separated
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 2 tsp white wine vinegar
  • 110g block butter, softened
  • Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the eggs benedict

  • 6 large, very fresh eggs
  • 12 thin slices smoked ham (Austrian Smoked Mountain Ham works well)
  • 3 English muffins, split in half horizontally
  • A little butter

Method

  1. To begin, place the egg yolks in a small food processor, blender or bowl with electric or balloon whisk, and add some seasoning.
  2. Heat the lemon juice and white wine vinegar in a small saucepan until the mixture starts to bubble and simmer. Now pour the hot lemon juice mixture in to join the yolks and blend for 30 seconds until thoroughly combined. Then, using the same saucepan, melt the butter over a gentle heat, being very careful not to let it brown. (If your processor lid has a larger feeding hole, cover it with a piece of cling film to prevent the sauce splashing).
  3. When the butter is foaming, switch the processor or blender on once more and pour in the butter in a thin, slow, steady trickle; the slower you add it the better. (If it helps you to use a jug and not pour from the saucepan, warm a jug with boiling water, discard the boiling water and then pour the butter mixture into that first.) When all the butter has been incorporated, wipe around the sides of the processor bowl or blender with a spatula to incorporate all the sauce, you should end up with a lovely, smooth, thick, buttery sauce.
  4. Poach the eggs. Place the split muffins on a baking tray and lightly toast the split muffins on both sides. Now butter the cut side of the muffins and top each half with a couple of folded slices of ham. Pop them under the grill to warm the ham then put them onto warm serving plates.
  5. Put a poached egg on top of each muffin half, add a little seasoning and then spoon over the foaming hollandaise, covering the egg (there should be a little over 1 tablespoon of sauce for each egg). Serve straight away.

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