Eggs Benedict With Smoked Salmon from The Regent Hotel, Berlin

Eggs Benedict consists of two slices of toast topped with a poached egg, bacon or ham, and Hollandaise Sauce. In the U.S., the bread is usually English Muffin, elsewhere brioche loaf or egg bread are used.

The dish was first popularized in New York City, but the exact origin is unknown. It was invented either at Delmonico's in lower Manhattan in 1860, or at the Waldorf Hotel in 1894.

Common variations include:

• Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon (salmon substituted for the ham)
• Eggs Florentine (spinach substituted for the ham)
• Eggs Sardou (a New Orleans variation of Eggs Florentine that uses artichoke bases instead of bread

Ingredients:

• Hollandaise Sauce
• 4 pieces of ham or "Canadian Bacon" ("Canadian Bacon" is an American term used for back bacon that is cured, smoked and fully cooked, trimmed into cylindrical medallions, and thickly sliced.)
• 4 large eggs
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 4 3/4-inch-thick slices brioche loaf, egg bread or English Muffin, lightly toasted. (American recipes usually use "English Muffins", small, round, flat, yeast-risen, which is commonly sliced horizontally, toasted, and buttered.
• Butter
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh dill or parsley, for garnish

Preparation:

1. The trick to the perfect Eggs Benedict is careful coordination. Hot buttered toasted bread, poached eggs, and a warm, creamy Hollandaise Sauce have to all be ready at the same time.
2. Poach the eggs: fill a large bowl with cold water, bring to a boil and add the vinegar. Reduce heat to medium-low. Crack eggs open one at a time and carefully slide to the simmering water. Cook until whites are set, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer 1 egg at a time to paper towels and keep warm.
3. Prepare the Hollandaise sauce using this recipe.
4. Assemble the dish: place 2 toasts on each plate. Top with ham or salmon. Using a slotted spoon, gently transfer the poached eggs, 1 at a time, to each toast. Spoon the sauce over. Garnish with the dill or parsley.
5. YIELD: Serves 2