Poached Eggs and Hollandaise

Directions

1. Half fill a small saucepan with water and place over a low heat.
2. In a small heatproof bowl (that fits comfortably over your small pan) add the egg yolk and 1 cube of butter. Place the bowl over the pan, which should be steaming a little with few bubbles but not simmering – turn the heat down to the lowest setting or off it it begins bubbling too much. Use a wooden spoon to stir the egg yolk and butter until the butter has completely melted. Once the butter has melted, add another cube of butter and repeat until all butter has been mixed in. Remember – low heat, don’t rush. Add in 1/2 teaspoon of white wine vinegar, a squeeze of lemon juice and season with salt and pepper. Taste and adjust with more vinegar, lemon or seasoning to your preference. *IF your mixture starts to look grainy at any stage – remove from the heat, add a new egg yolk to another heatproof bowl and add the grainy mixture, spoonful at a time, to the egg yolk over your pan of warm water – this will bring it back together and save any curdled sauce. Remove the sauce from the heat and occasionally stir to prevent a skin forming.
3. Half fill a large, shallow saucepan with water and bring to a simmer. Do not boil. Crack your eggs, one at a time, into a mug and slowly drop into the simmering water. Allow to sit for about 10-15 seconds until the egg begins to cook – this will help it to hold together rather than the white seperating from the yolk. Carefully use a slotted spoon to lift the egg from the bottom of the pan. Use the spoon and the side of the pan to encourage the egg to get closer together. Again, be patient and gentle. Once the egg white is no longer clear, lift the egg out of the water and onto a piece of kitchen roll or a dry j-cloth to absorb any excess water.
4. Serve on toast with the hollandaise spooned over the top – add ham or salmon for an extra special breakfast.