EGGS BENEDICT SPINACH RECIPES

Steps:

• For the strata: Preheat the oven to 425 ̊. Arrange the English muffins on a rimmed baking sheet and bake until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Combine the eggs, milk, half-and-half, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
• Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add half of the Canadian bacon in a single layer and cook until browned, about 1 minute per side. Remove to a plate and repeat with the remaining Canadian bacon; add to the plate. Add half of the spinach to the pan and toss until partially wilted, then add the remaining spinach and toss until all the spinach is wilted. Season with a pinch of salt. Remove the spinach to a paper towel–lined plate and press with the back of a spoon to release some of the liquid.
• Butter a 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Layer half each of the English muffins, spinach, Canadian bacon, and cheese in the prepared dish. Repeat the layering with the remaining ingredients, ending with the cheese. Slowly pour the egg mixture over the top. Cover the baking dish with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
• About 30 minutes before baking, remove the strata from the fridge. Preheat the oven to 350 ̊. Remove the plastic wrap and cover the dish with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, then uncover and continue to bake until golden brown and slightly crisp on top, 25 to 30 minutes more.
• Just before serving, make the hollandaise: Melt the butter in a small saucepan until sizzling. Remove from the heat. Meanwhile, add the egg yolks and lemon juice to a blender. Then, with the blender on, slowly drizzle the hot butter into the yolks. It’ll start to thicken right away. Add up to 1 1/2 teaspoons warm water to loosen the sauce until it is pourable. Stir in the salt, pepper and hot sauce. Drizzle some of the sauce over the strata and serve the rest on the side.

Steps:

• To make the hollandaise sauce, bring a small saucepan of water to a gentle simmer. Find a heatproof glass bowl that will fit neatly on top without touching the water and add the yolks, vinegar and 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Whisk together until frothy, then place the bowl over the simmering water and whisk again until the mixture thickens. Gradually whisk in the butter, starting with single cubes, and as the sauce gets thicker, add 2–3 at a time. If the sauce begins to look oily – as if it might be splitting – whisk the mixture off the heat for a few minutes. When all the butter is incorporated, season with the remaining lemon juice, salt and white pepper. Turn off the heat but leave the bowl on top to keep the sauce warm. A piece of cling film laid directly on the surface will stop a skin forming.
• To poach the eggs, fill a saucepan with 10cm/4in of water and a splash of white wine vinegar. Bring to a gentle simmer. Fill a large bowl with cold water. Crack the first egg into a small sieve – this will drain away any runny egg that might cloud the water.
• Lower the heat so just a few small bubbles remain then stir to create a whirlpool. When the whirlpool has almost disappeared, tip the egg from the sieve into the middle of where the whirlpool was. Poach for 2 minutes while watching the heat – there should be small, gentle bubbles constantly but nothing more vigorous. Spoon the poached egg into the cold water. Repeat 3 times and keep the water gently simmering when all the eggs are done.
• Top each muffin half with a slice of smoked salmon. Reheat all the eggs in the poaching pan for 30 seconds, then sit on top of the salmon. Give the sauce a quick stir then spoon over the top of each egg – if it’s too thick, stir in a splash of cool water to thin. Garnish with the chives and serve immediately.