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This is a twist on the traditional Eggs Benedict, with toasted (English) muffin halves topped with pancetta, cavolo nero, tomatoes and eggs, all drizzled with creamy hollandaise. This makes an excellent (and different) breakfast in bed for Valentine’s day.
15/35/2
Ingredients:
4 Plum Tomatoes, halved
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
3 thyme sprigs
8 rashers Italian sliced pancetta
5 stems cavolo nero (about 90g [3 oz])
4 eggs
2 English muffins (or 2 slices of sourdough), halved and toasted
For the hollandaise:
125g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted (this needs to be hot)
2 egg yolks
1 tbsp lemon juice
¼ tsp fine salt
Method:
Begin with the hollandaise, melt the butter and transfer to a small jug. Combine the egg yolks, lemon juice and salt in either the small bowl of a food processor or, if you’d prefer to use a handheld stick blender, a tall cup. Blend well until emulsified. With the motor running (on either the processor or blender), very slowly pour in the melted butter to make a light, foamy hollandaise. As you add the butter, the milk solids will start to gather at the bottom of the jug; stop pouring when you reach them and discard the solids. Season the hollandaise with white or black pepper and, if very thick, thin with a little water then set aside (it will hold like this for at least 30 minutes).
Preheat the oven to 180ºC (160ºC fan/360ºF/gas mark 4). Arrange the tomatoes on a medium baking tray, drizzle with the oil and balsamic vinegar, season and scatter over the thyme. Lay the pancetta on a separate baking tray. Bake both for 10 minutes in your pre-heated oven.
Strip the leaves from the cavolo nero stalks and tear into 5cm (2 in) pieces (save the stalks for smoothies or soups). Stir the torn leaves through the tomatoes, turning them in the juices. Turn over the pancetta rashers and return both trays to the oven for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat a large saucepan over a medium-low heat and fill with boiling water. Heat it until just starting to boil (when just a few small bubbles are rising to the surface). Crack an egg into a tea cup. Stir the water gently in one direction to create a vortex; once this has started to slow down, tip in the egg. Cook for 3-4 minutes, until the white is set but the yolk is still soft, then lift out with a slotted spoon and pat dry on kitchen paper. Repeat with the remaining eggs.
To assemble, top the toasted muffin halves (or halved slices of sourdough) with the pancetta, cavolo nero and tomatoes (discard the thyme but spoon over any roasting juices), plus the eggs.
Spoon over the hollandaise, grind over a little black pepper and serve at once.
