This morning when I told Dan I was hungry and he asked what I was in the mood for, for some reason I blurted out, 'crab benedict.' I first had eggs benedict with crab on a trip to Hawaii in 2001. The seafood is abundant and so fresh in Hawaii, and it was one of the best breakfasts I'd ever had, especially given my love for fresh, sweet king crab legs.
Eggs benedict isn't really difficult; it's mostly time consuming. The hollandaise sauce seems like it would be the most difficult part, but I think it's more about patience. The key is to heat the egg yolks very slowly. Some recipes calls for taking the yolks on and off the heat as you heat and whisk, and that method works for me. Then of course, the butter starts to get added in, as well as lemon juice, and then some people put in herbs or other seasonings, like cayenne. I tend to like a good amount of lemon juice, and I often use thyme. Tarragon is good, too.
Strangely, the hardest part of benedict for me is poaching the eggs. I am always hit-or-miss with poached eggs. A bit of vinegar in the water helps to hold the eggs together correctly, but I have never quite found a perfect method for poaching. Today, I messed up the first batch, but the second batch came out fine.
If you get the hollandaise and the eggs right, there isn't really anything other than assembly. Crab benedict requires fresh crab, never canned, and certainly not imitation. I like a toasted english muffin with the crab right on top. Then the egg, and then pour on the hollandaise. Nummy nummy good! It's a great way to use up a little bit of crab, for instance if you have some left over after a dinner, or if you find one of those little packs of smaller crab leg chunks discounted at the store like they sometimes do.
Mmmmbreakfast. Happy eating!
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