Mel Benedict

My twist on the classic Eggs Benedict, I call it Mel Benedict and it is amazing, luxurious, and indulgent!

Inspiration

You really cannot get more classic brunch than an Eggs Benedict. You know what I mean an English muffin served open face with ham, poached eggs, and hollandaise sauce. If you live in the Mid-Atlantic the ham is often swapped out for a crab cake. I love them all of these ways, but one day I was strolling through the bakery and noticed English muffin toasting bread. It was English muffins made into a loaf of bread. Mind blown. I did not buy it the first time, but the second time I couldn’t pass it up. My first thought was obviously the most classic English muffin recipe I could think of – Eggs Benedict.

Since I was mixing it up, I wondered what it would taste like with scrambled eggs with cheese. I had this before. My most favorite was at The Carlyle restaurant in Arlington, VA for brunch where they offered scrambled egg and steak Benedicts. That works! So now we have English muffin toast and scrambled cheese eggs. I had a ton of Canadian bacon so that worked, but what about the sauce. I started with Tyler Florence’s Hollandaise Sauce recipe from FoodNetwork.com and added granulated garlic. It was delicious and tangy. I covered the sauce with plastic wrap while I completed the rest of the ingredients.

It’s all about the butter

I toasted the bread on the stove in a tablespoon (or so!) of butter. I removed that and added a touch more butter to heat up the bacon. Traditionally, it’s one slice per piece of bread but I was going big so I doubled that. Did I mention that this is indulgent and in no way healthy. Had to throw in that little disclaimer! Now onto the scrambled eggs. Scrambling eggs can be a challenge. My method is to add about a teaspoon of water to the eggs, a tiny bit of salt and to whisk them well. I melt butter and then add the eggs to the skillet. I immediately throw in the cheese and then start to move the eggs around with a soft spatula until they are just about done. I turn of the stove and let them gently finish.

Putting it All Together

On to assembly. Bread down first, then ham, then eggs. Spoon the sauce over the eggs and serve. The great debate in our house is whether to top with or without pepper. I will let you decide.

So how does it taste?

The lemon in the hollandaise cuts through the richness of the rest of the dish providing balance. The crunch from the bread and the softness of the eggs provide wonderful texture while the ham sneaks in with a perfect combination of sweetness and saltiness. It is everything!