Fancy Eggs Benedict

Anything with hollandaise sauce works for me, especially when I’m cooking at home for my daughter Mansell.  This morning, she is on a soft food diet so I decided to forget about the usual English muffin and sliced ham arrangement.  Leftover mashed potatoes and diced ham provide a perfect replacement.

Simply mix 2 slices of ham chopped fine with 2 cups of mashed potatoes and create patties. Place the patties on a buttered pan over medium heat and cook until they begin to brown. Flip them over and repeat.

After tasting it, we realized we actually like this preparation better so it will be on the “Little Kitchen” Sunday brunch menu soon.

Ingredients (serves 4):

6 large eggs (poach 4, separate the yolks from 2)
4 tablespoons butter (plus a little more for the potato grill pan)
2 medium lemons
1 clementine, slices for garnish, and juice from the ends for the sauce

2 cups mashed potatoes
2 sliced baked deli ham (diced fine)

The key to a good hollandaise sauce is to make it just prior to service. Make the hollandaise by stirring 1/3 of the butter and 1/2 of the lemon juice in a small sauce pan until the butter melts. Next add slightly whipped egg yolks and another chunk of butter and continue stirring.  As it starts to thicken, add the remaining lemon juice and butter and stir some more.  When it begins to thicken again, set it aside and poach the eggs.  When the eggs are cooked and the potato cakes plated add a dash of clementine and a dash of salt to the sauce, warm over the boiling water stirring for 30 seconds.  Finally, pour the hollandaise over the eggs in equal parts and serve  immediately.

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