Eggs Benedict

Hollandaise Sauce (below)

3 English muffins

Butter or margarine, softened

6 thin slices Canadian-style bacon or fully cooked smoked ham

1 tsp. butter or margarine

6 poached eggs

Prepare Hollandaise Sauce and keep warm. Split and toast English muffins. Spread each muffin half with butter and keep warm. Cook bacon in 1 tsp. butter over medium heat until light brown. Prepare poached eggs. Place 1 slice bacon on each muffin half. Top with 1 poached egg. Spoon warm sauce over eggs.

6 servings

Hollandaise Sauce:

3 egg yolks

1 tbs. lemon juice

1/2 c. (1 stick) firm butter

Stir egg yolks and lemon juice vigorously in 1 1/2-quart saucepan. Add 1/2 c. of the butter. Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly with a wire whisk, until butter is melted. Add remaining butter. Continue stirring vigorously until butter is melted and sauce is thickened. (Be sure butter melts slowly to give eggs time to cook and thicken sauce without curdling.) Serve hot or at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate any remaining sauce. To serve, stir in small amount of water.

About 3/4 c. sauce

 
Variations:

Crab Benedict: Substitute 1 1/2 c. chopped cooked crabmeat for the bacon. Heat in butter until just hot.

Seafood Benedict: Substitute 1 1/2 c. chopped cooked mixed crabmeat, scallops, shrimp, and lobster for the bacon. Heat in butter until just hot.