Eggs Benedict With Biscuits and Cajun Hollandaise

Name: Eggs Benedict With Biscuits and Cajun Hollandaise
Yield: Serves 4
Ingredients: 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar; 4 large eggs; Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper; 2 tablespoons canola oil; 1/2 pound tasso ham, sliced 1/4 inch thick; 4 plum tomatoes, sliced in half lengthwise; 4 Black Pepper Buttermilk Biscuits (page 191); Cajun Hollandaise (recipe follows); Fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, for garnish; 1 1/2 teaspoons smoked sweet Spanish paprika; 1/2 teaspoon ground New Mexico chile; Pinch of ground chile de árbol; Pinch of cayenne; 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder; 1/4 teaspoon onion powder; 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano; 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten; 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice; 12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted until foamy; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; (makes about 1 cup)

December 14, 2011

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Photo by Chelsea Kyle

Eggs Benedict is the quintessential dish of the New York Sunday brunch. I like to put a southern spin on the classic, starting with a fluffy buttermilk biscuit. A Cajun blend of seasonings gives a kick to the luscious hollandaise sauce, which is right at home with New Orleans’ beloved tasso ham. Tasso is cured and hotsmoked pork shoulder crusted with a spicy blend of flavorings such as garlic and cayenne pepper. (If you can’t find tasso, you can try substituting slices of Italian capicola, which is prepared similarly.) Griddled tomatoes are an addition to, not a substitution in, the original Benedict, but I like the slightly sweet, fresh balance they bring to the richness of the other components.

Recipe notes

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