Recipe of week: Whitby eggs benedict – serves 4 people

2 English muffins

4 kipper fillets

6 crushed peppercorns

2 tablespoon of white 
wine vinegar

4 egg yolks

400g clarified butter

4 eggs for poaching

Dill to garnish

Method

For the Hollandaise, first clarify the butter by placing the butter into a pan and gently heat. Any milk solids will collect on the bottom of the pan and the clarified butter will be above. Reduce the vinegar with the peppercorns by one third, remove from the heat and add 1 tablespoon of water, cool slightly. Whisk the egg yolks over a bain-marie (water bath) to a sabayon (this is to cook the egg, it should be the

consistency of thick cream). Remove from the heat and cool slightly, gradually whisk in the warm clarified butter.

Do this slowly as if you add too much butter at once the sauce may split. If the sauce does split don’t worry, just whisk in a little warm water.

Once all the butter has been added taste and season with salt. Place the kipper fillets into a jug and pour over boiling water, cover and let cook for 5 minutes. While the kippers are cooking poach the eggs, in a pan bring to the boil water which has been seasoned with salt and a good splash of malt vinegar.

Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer and one by one add the eggs. Poach the eggs for 4 minutes. Slice the muffins in half and toast them on both sides. Place the toasted muffins on to a plate, remove the kippers from the water, drain them then sit the kipper onto the muffin. Remove the poached eggs from the water, drain them then sit these on to the kipper.

Finally take the Hollandaise sauce and spoon it over the eggs and finish with a sprig of dill.