This Saturday's Times included a few variations on the theme, by Tony Turnbull - and I couldn't resist having a go at the mushroom one - and it was a success - so here we go!
On the poaching of eggs - Tony opts for the stirring water and sliding in the eggs - I use Delia's method - which is as follows (in the recipe use your favourite way of poaching the eggs - it seems a very personal thing!) - Fill a small frying pan with 4cm water - get it to the point where it is barely simmering. Keep the water at that level - just the slightest appearance of bubbles. Break each egg into the water. Size 2 will take about 3 minutes. You can baste the top with water to help them cook. Remove very gently with a slotted spoon and rest the spoon on a wad of kitchen roll to absorb any water.
Mushroom Eggs Benedict
serves 4
4 Portobello Mushroom
4 Large egges plus 2 yolks
Juice of 1/2 lemon
100g butter
2 muffins, sliced and toasted
1 Poach your eggs
2 Remove stalks from mushrooms and fry in butter or oil for 5 mins, turning once
3 Meanwhile place yolks in a blender with lemon juice and a pinch of salt and blend
4 Melt the butter in a pan and slowly add to the yolks, with the motor running. Blend until pale and creamy
5 Place a mushroom on each muffin half, top with the egg, and coat with the hollandaise.
Enjoy - and get someone else to wash up all the pans............
