Eggs benedict

Eggs Benedict on the first morning of 2010.

Ooops! I already cut mine in half and served Andrew before remembering this blog. He wanted to look at the camera.

This is a favorite breakfast of ours. I don't hesitate making it in the morning if I have twenty minutes to spare and all the ingredients on hand. I've made it so many times that it's no longer necessary to consult a cookbook.
I forgot that I am "actively" blogging about what we eat, so pictures are not illustrative of the process. I will explain it instead.

Serves two.
Need:
3 eggs
2 TB butter (I prefer unsalted)
a lemon wedge
a dash of cayenne pepper
2 english muffins
2 slices of ham (skip the canadian bacon, that's a waste of money)
white vinegar

First, put a small saucepan filled with water on to boil.
Find a bowl that can be inserted in the top (sitting directly on the water).
Place the bowl on the saucepan while it heats and drop 2 TB of butter in it to melt. Please, no measuring.

Meanwhile, separate an egg white from the yolk. I just discard the white unless using it later that day (say, for breading). Carefully slip (avoid breaking the yolk) into a small dish. Put a splash of water in it, a squeeze of lemon (estimate 1/2 teaspoon-1 tsp) and a dash of cayenne.

Return to the simmering water and drop the egg mix in if the butter is melted.
Use a small whisk and combine until a desired consistency. If it's too watery, just cook until it thickens up. If it's too thick just add small amounts of water.
Remove bowl from stove (I place it on the warm toaster oven), add more water to the pot if needed (to poach in)... Add a splash of vinegar to the water.
Bring to a slight boil (more than a simmer but not a rapid bubble).

Slice and toast english muffins.

When water is ready, stir it briefly with a slotted spoon to create a spinning motion. This and the vinegar help to keep a runny egg white together. In quick succession, crack in two eggs. Don't worry about them sticking together, they won't.
Time them for 4:30-5 minutes. I usually start the timer at 5 then crack them in. Keep an eye on the pot, you don't want the water to start boiling away (or overflowing!)
Place a bowl of warm water next to it and transfer the cooked eggs (to rinse) from the vinegar water.
Microwave 2 pieces of ham for 20 seconds (you will hear them pop and snap, that's when it's time to take them out).

Serve it up!
I like to first drizzle a little hollandaise on a slice of english muffin, then top with ham, then the poached egg and drizzle the rest of the sauce over the top.

Nice to also have some fresh fruit on hand (in this case, grapes!).