A Brunch For All Occasions Recipe

Nothing gathers loved ones around the dinner table quite like the promise of great food. No matter what the occasion – a birthday celebration, a welcome home from university, or simply an excuse to see your nearest and dearest, a beautiful brunch allows you to enjoy one another’s company, in the comfort of your own home.

In need of a mouth-watering recipe to create the perfect brunch, we knew just the person ask – our very own Sophie Conran, incredible hostess and collaborator of our award-winning Sophie Conran for Portmeirion collection.

Hosting is a second nature to Sophie, and when asked “what’s a great brunch item to serve?”, Hollandaise eggs were the answer.

A versatile option, Hollandaise eggs can be transformed into Eggs Benedict, Eggs Royal or Eggs Florentine. All compromising an English muffin as the base, a poached egg and a deliciously buttery Hollandaise sauce, the difference comes with the filling. Eggs Royal comprises smoked salmon, Eggs Florentine uses spinach, and Eggs Benedict features ham – a delicious option for every one of your brunch guests.

To make Sophie’s Hollandaise eggs for four people, you will need:

Hollandaise:

  • 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
  • A bay leaf
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • A sprig of tarragon
  • 5 black peppercorns
  • 1 small shallot, finely chopped
  • 200g slightly salted butter (the best you can get)
  • 2 egg yolks, at room temperature

Eggs & Fillings:

  • 2 very fresh eggs per person, poached
  • 1 English muffin per person, halved and toasted

Optional Fillings:

  • Smoked salmon slices
  • Ham slices
  • Spinach, steamed
  • Avocado, sliced
  • Chives to finish, finely chopped

Method:

  1. First flavour your vinegar by simmering with the bay leaf, water, tarragon, black peppercorns and shallots in a small pan until it halves in volume – this only takes a couple of minutes.
  2. Leave to stand for 10 minutes for the flavours to infuse and then strain.
  3. Melt the butter and set aside to cool a little.
  4. Put the vinegar and egg yolk into a blender and blitz. With the motor running, slowly add the melted butter so it amalgamates with the egg and makes a smooth, velvety sauce.
  5. Toast the muffins and poach the eggs.
  6. Lightly butter the muffins and layer on your chosen filling.
  7. Top with eggs, pour over the hollandaise and sprinkle over a few chives to serve to your happy guests/family.

And there you have it… Sophie Conran’s mouth-watering recipe for the perfect Hollandaise eggs. Let us know what you think!

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