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:
- 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.
- Leave to stand for 10 minutes for the flavours to infuse and then strain.
- Melt the butter and set aside to cool a little.
- 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.
- Toast the muffins and poach the eggs.
- Lightly butter the muffins and layer on your chosen filling.
- 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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