Sat, 30 November 2019
“BRUNCHY EGGS BENENTINE”
Serves 2
Ingredients:
For Ham Hock
1 x ham hock
¼ piece of fresh ginger
Pinch nutmeg
¼ celery stick, chopped
¼ onion, medium, chopped
1 carrot, medium size, chopped
2 bay leaf
1 litre of veg stock
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
Sprig of thyme and rosemary
Pinch of whole black peppercorns
For Eggs Benentine
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 large free range or organic eggs
2 large handfuls baby spinach
2 bagels/ciabatta/brioche baps - choice is optional. Split in half horizontally, toasted and buttered
For the Hollandaise Sauce
100g/3 ½ oz butter, cut into cubes and melted
2 free-range/organic egg yolks
¼ tbsp cold water
¼ tsp lemon juice
¼ tsp white wine vinegar
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 160c/325 F/gas mark 3.
2. Place ham hocks into ovenproof dish. Add in rest of ingredients for ham hock, making sure it is totally covered with stock. Add more if needed.
3. Cover with greaseproof paper and then lid or tin foil, making sure no steam can escape during cooking.
4. Bake in pre-heated oven for 3 hours until ham hock is falling off the bone.
5. Remove from oven and cool down, for approx 1 hour. Remove ham hock from stock next and leave to cool enough to handle. This is best done a day in advance.
6. Remove outer skin/fat from ham hock and shred meat from bone. Discard any bone, cartilage and grizzle.
7. Place maple syrup into medium-heated pan and place shredded ham hock into pan and proceed to caramelise.
8. Once caramelised leave to one side.
Hollandaise Sauce
1/3 fill a saucepan with water and bring to a simmer.
Melt butter in bowl and leave to one side.
Place egg yolks, vinegar, water and lemon juice into a bowl and whisk to combine.
Place bowl over saucepan with soft simmering water and whisk continuously until mixture is smooth and velvety, like double cream texture.
Remove bowl from saucepan and quickly fold in the melted butter into egg mixture, little by little until you have achieved a thick smooth sauce.
Season to taste and keep warm at room temperature.
Poaching Eggs
Bring a large saucepan to the boil and simmer.
Gently break eggs into saucepan, one at a time.
Cook for approx 3 mins till eggs are translucent with a soft creamy yolk.
Remove eggs with slotted spoon, ready to serve.
DISH ASSEMBLY
1. Toast/grill bread base - bagel, ciabatta, briche, bap. (Choice is optional - split horizontally and buttered.)
2. Pan-fry spinach with a little rapeseed oil till wilted, and season to taste.
3. Place toasted bread base in the centre of serving plate. Add wilted spinach, top with caramelised ham hock mixture, place poached eggs on top and cover eggs with Hollandaise sauce.
4. Enjoy.
