Paleo cookies

EGGS BENEDICT

If I’m out to brunch somewhere, then I’m most likely ordering the eggs Benedict. It’s delicious and kind of fancy, and it’s one of my favorite breakfast dishes. When I was younger, on Christmas morning and other special occasions, my family made our own version of the Egg McMuffin—an English muffin toasted with butter and topped with Canadian bacon, a fried egg, and some cheese. Now that we eat Paleo, we make this version, which takes a little longer but is just as luxuriously creamy and satisfying as the original. SERVES 4

PREP TIME: 15 minutes

COOK TIME: 30 minutes

FOR THE MUSHROOMS AND EGGS

8 portobello mushroom caps

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Salt

Freshly ground black pepper

Splash white vinegar

8 eggs

4 slices Canadian bacon or thick-cut ham

FOR THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

4 egg yolks

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted, grass-fed butter, melted

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Pinch salt

TO MAKE THE MUSHROOMS AND EGGS

1. Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush both sides of each portobello mushroom cap with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Place them in the pan, and cook for 7 to 8 minutes on each side. Remove them from the heat, and set aside.
2. Bring a large saucepan of water to a low simmer. Add the white vinegar. Crack 1 egg into a small dish. Use a large spoon to swirl the water into a slow whirlpool. Carefully slide the egg into the water and, without hitting the egg, continue the swirling motion with the spoon. Allow the egg to cook for a minute or two, until the white has set. Carefully scoop the egg out and place it on a paper towel–lined plate. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
3. In the skillet you used for the mushrooms, heat the Canadian bacon over low heat, about 2 minutes per side.

TO MAKE THE HOLLANDAISE SAUCE

1. Place a heatproof bowl over a pot of simmering water (don’t let the bowl actually touch the water).
2. Put the egg yolks and lemon juice in the bowl, and quickly whisk them together until the mixture becomes frothy and starts to expand, about 2 minutes. Slowly drizzle the melted butter in while stirring, and continue to whisk until the sauce has doubled in size, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the heat, and add the cayenne and salt.
3. Serve immediately or keep warm until ready to serve. 〉

TO ASSEMBLE THE EGGS BENEDICT

Plate each portobello mushroom cap with the bottom side facing up. Add a slice of Canadian bacon to each, top each piece of bacon with a poached egg and some hollandaise sauce, and serve.

VARIATION 1 SOUTHWESTERN BENEDICT: Switch out the Canadian bacon for ¼ cup Pulled Pork (here) or beef brisket and add a teaspoon of chipotle seasoning to your hollandaise for a spicier, heftier dish.

VARIATION 2 TOMATO BENEDICT: Use thick slices of tomato instead of the portobello mushrooms if you’re short on time and want to skip a step. This is how I order eggs Benedict in a restaurant.

PREP TIP: Poaching eggs can take some practice, but you can find egg-poaching gadgets out there that make it a lot easier. You can also make the eggs first and keep them in a very low heat oven (200°F or lower) until you’ve assembled the rest of the dish; just undercook them a tiny bit in the pan so you don’t overcook them in the oven.