Victor just christened this the best breakfast I have ever made.  He may be right.  WOW!  is all I can say!

When we were in San Francisco a few weeks ago, we had brunch at Maverick with Renee, and we had these excellent Eggs Benedict.  I’ve been dying to make my own version ever since.  Today was that day.

Maverick made theirs with andouille and crayfish.  I made mine with andouille and langostinos.

Now… cooking breakfast is not for the faint-of-heart.  It can be one of the most difficult and time-consuming meals to pull off.  A good breakfast cook is worth his weight in gold – and can make some seriously good money at the right place.  It’s all timing.  Well… and lots of pots and pans. (And, hopefully, someone else to clean up!)  I know.  I cooked a LOT of breakfasts in my day.  And was paid well for it.

For breakfast today I started by lightly toasting the English muffins.  I then started the poaching water with a splash of white vinegar to keep the eggs from spreading.

I sauteed the diced andouille sausage in a bit of butter and at the last minute, added the langostino.  It only takes a second to cook.  There’s enough spice in the sausage that I didn’t need to add anything else.

Meanwhile, I had diced a potato and had it cooking in a bit of grapeseed oil, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Hollandaise is extremely easy to make, and Maverick made theirs with jalapeno.  I had Happy Hal’s Jalapeno Relish in the fridge and used it.  Fantastic!

Blender Jalapeno Hollandaise

  • 3 egg yolks
  • pinch salt
  • 1 tablespoon heavy cream
  • 1/2 tsp Happy Hal’s Jalapeno Relish
  • 1 cup butter, melted and hot
  • 1 tbsp white wine vinegar

Place egg yolks, salt, Happy Hal’s and heavy cream in blender, blend for a few seconds at high speed. Add hot butter in a thin, steady stream.  Add vinegar about half-way through and then add the rest of the butter.  Enjoy.

To make a traditional hollandaise, substitute a pinch of cayenne for the Happy Hal’s.  You may also use lemon juice in place of the vinegar. (I didn’t have any lemons in the house this morning.)

So… English muffins on the plate, topped with andouille and langostinos.  Atop that went the poached eggs.  Careful here… the eggs will not sit flat upon the andouille.  I almost lost one egg to the floor.  Cybil was extremely bummed that I saved it.  Make a bit of a nest, if need be.

Potatoes on the plate, hollandaise on the eggs, and breakfast was served.

This is definitely one to share.  It is outstanding!